Ways ICD-10 Implementation Will Affect Physicians

Deborah Grider from ICD10moniter.com writes about the ways ICD-10 implementation will affect physicians.

According to her, while “there is no monetary return associated with ICD-10 for the practitioners, [they] need to understand that the diagnoses and the conditions they are treating need to be supported by medical necessity.”

Coding is important because it provides information on the complexity of the case. It allows insight into what exactly the physician was thinking when making the diagnosis.

Grider provides an example to demonstrate how thorough coding can benefit physician: “If the physician orders an MRI for a patient with a headache and he or she suspects a seizure disorder, even if the history and examination is comprehensive, the headache might only equate to a Level 2 or maybe a Level 3 patient visit, based on medical necessity. But if the physician documents in the assessment and plan of care that the MRI was ordered because the practitioner feels the patient may have a seizure disorder, the complexity of the patient changes – and it potentially could equate to a Level 4 patient visit.”

She goes on to say, “Complexity, severity, and the associated documentation directly impact practitioner reimbursement.”

Summary By MedicalGroups.com

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