October 1, 2015, is our International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) implementation go-live date.As you ramp up for your transition fromICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM in thewound care department, there are a number of key documentation strategies and processes to review.
1. According to Healthcare Information and Managements Systems (HIMSS) (www.healthcareitnews.com/directory/icd-10-coding), ‘‘The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) is a revision of the ICD-9-CM system, which physicians and other providers currently use to code all diagnoses, symptoms, and procedures recorded in hospitals and physician practices. The ICD-10-CM revision has more than 68,000 diagnostic codes, compared with the 13,000 foundinICD-9-CM.The revision also includes twice as many categories and is more specific in identifying treatment. For example, ICD-10 provides codes to distinguish between a left or right leg; ICD-9 does not. The US Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] had intended to require implementation by October 1, 2014. However, on April 1, 2014, President Obama signed into law HR 3402, which prevents HHS from establishing ICD-10 as the standard code set before October 1, 2015.’’
Important note: The transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS does not affect Current Procedural Terminology (CPT*) codes, which will continue to be used for outpatient services.
Read more of this article in Advances in Skin & Wound Care.
An excerpt from an article originally published in Advances in Skin & Wound Care, written by Cathy Thomas Hess, BSN, RN, CWOCN, VP and Chief Clinical Officer at Net Health.