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coding lets your staff catch problems early and become more familiar
and comfortable with the new system.
You can decide to dual code all or only a portion of cases based on
your current coding volume and other responsibilities. If your staff
dual codes only a portion of cases, be sure to periodically increase
that amount as Oct. 1 approaches. Expect your coder's productivity to
lag: If she was coding 7 to 10 multi-specialty charts per hour, she
might only be able to handle 3 to 6 while she gets up to speed.
Dual coding helps identify potential documentation problems. While
some ICD-9 codes are already mapped to an ICD-10 code, your coder
can take note of codes listed as "unspecified" or "not otherwise speci-
1. ICD-10 has about 69,000 codes and will replace the aging 14,000 ICD-9 diagno-
sis codes that doctors, hospitals and surgery centers currently use to bill insurers.
2. With their high level of diagnostic specificity, the new codes will make it easier to
describe advanced surgeries and procedures that generally command higher reim-
bursement rates.
3. ICD-10 offers greater detail and increased ability to accommodate new technologies
and procedures. The codes have the potential to provide better data for evaluating
and improving the quality of patient care. For example, data captured by the code
sets could be used to better understand complications, design clinically robust algo-
rithms and track care outcomes.
4. ICD-10's finer detail and cleaner logic may lead to fewer coding errors in the long
term.
5. ICD-9 codes were not developed for reimbursement purposes; that use came
after their implementation. ICD-10 offers more rational systems upon which to
build payment systems.
DID YOU KNOW?
5 Fast Facts About ICD-10
