| Volume II, Fall 2008 |
Coding Matters at AHRA
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New Gems of Knowledge in the Emerald City - 2008 AHIMA Convention – October 11-16, 2008 Seattle, the site of this year’s annual AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association) conference, earned the moniker “Emerald City” in the 1980s due to its 6,000 acres of parks and forests. Now, with the help of HRS, AHIMA will be revealing some new gems of knowledge in the Emerald City. And booth visitors will be given a chance to win a $100 spa gift certificate and FREE radiology coding review. Educational Sessions on Radiology Coding Clinical Documentation Workshop FORE Research Report on Radiology Coding |
Our recent participation at the AHRA (American Healthcare Radiology Administrators) Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, was a huge success! This year, the HRS theme was “Soak in the Knowledge,” which drew more than 100 visitors to our booth. In addition, HRS led a workshop on the conference’s main educational track: “Radiology Coding: The Keys for Successful Documentation, Compliance and Reimbursement. Featuring Martin Auster, MD, MBA from Johns Hopkins Hospital; Jeff Pilato, MHA, RPR, CPC-H; and Beth Friedman, RHIT; the workshop drew more than 60 attendees.
Download a copy of the presentation here!Coping with “Rule-Out” in Radiology
The term “rule-out” is used to eliminate a suspected condition or disease – and while it works well for clinicians and medical-legal requirements, it wreaks havoc on radiology coders and reimbursement. This is particularly true in outpatient settings where most payers won’t accept rule-out codes as a primary diagnosis.
The problem occurs when radiology coders are left without the information necessary to code the attending physician’s final diagnosis. Coders can’t justify medical necessity and ensure correct reimbursement when radiological findings are vague. If you’re caught in this situation, try a three-pronged approach:
- Educate
- Prevent
- Communicate
Read the complete article in Radiology Today.
Peace of Mind at Parkview – A Radiology Coding Case Study
Parkview Medical Center serves Pueblo County, Colorado, and 14 counties, providing comprehensive healthcare that includes radiology and diagnostic imaging services. The radiology department provides 24x7 services, with high volumes around the clock.
In addition to volume, the complexities of radiology coding made Linda Kogovsek, radiology administrator, want more peace of mind. The department was “getting coding done,” she says, but they didn’t have confidence that it was consistently done well. “Either we needed the assurance that our coding was where it should be, or we needed to know where our errors were and how to correct them.”
Parkview engaged HRS to implement its new radiology coding improvement program, which includes evaluation, education and follow-up analysis to ensure ongoing success. “I was thrilled to learn our coding accuracy was actually 10 to 15 percent higher than the industry standard,” says Kogovsek. “I wouldn’t have known that before HRS, and it was a great relief.” Despite this level of accuracy, she notes that Parkview has identified and made great strides in improving radiology coding. She says, “I’m certain we’ll get even better moving forward.”
