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Creating a query and knowing when to query can be complicated, and there are a number of continued training tactics that prove successful for the coder when trying to improve upon physician query practices.
Trouble viewing? See it online! Wednesday, October 3, 2018

CE Articles

Reviewing official guidelines for inpatient coding queries

Creating a query and knowing when to query can be complicated, and there are a number of continued training tactics that prove successful for the coder when trying to improve upon physician query practices. This article looks at a few of the official sources that offer query guidance for coders.

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Coding Clinic 2018: Deciphering first and second quarter guidance
Adriane Martin, DO, FACOS, CCDS, reviews Coding Clinic guidance published in the first and second quarters of this year as it pertains to coding guidelines, severity of illness, and MS-DRG assignment for the inpatient setting.
Unravelling principal diagnosis selection guidelines
Cesar M. Limjoco, MD, writes that although different literature has become available on principal diagnosis selection through the years, questions and disputes keep popping up. In this article, he revisits the issue and provides additional insight to code selection for conditions such as acute respiratory failure and congestive heart failure.
Healthcare News: Clinical pathway helps lower heart failure readmissions, says study
Acute heart failure patients in an emergency department's clinical pathway program had a 13.1% lower readmission rate, according to a report published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Q&A: Choosing between AKI and hypovolemia as principal diagnosis
Q: We recently had a patient admitted for syncope workup. The workups were negative except for incidental findings of acute kidney injury (AKI). The physician documented “AKI likely 2/2 hypovolemia. Treatment focus is to trend creatinine levels and hydration.” Would the AKI or hypovolemia be sequenced as the principal diagnosis?
 

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Free quiz

Test your knowledge with this week’s free quiz, which features ICD-10-PCS Replacement codes for the peripheral nervous system.

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SelectCoder Tip of the Week

Only report an ICD-10-CM code from category O24.8- (other pre-existing diabetes mellitus in pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium) when the obstetric patient had diabetes before the pregnancy. Then, assign an additional ICD-10-CM code for the type of diabetes which are found in categories E08.- (diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition) to E13.-(other specified diabetes mellitus).

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Product Spotlight

Deciphering FY 2019 ICD-10-CM Coding, Anatomy, and Clinical Indicators for the Cardiac System

During this 90-minute webinar on Wednesday, November 7, Mindy Harris, CCS, CPC, CPMA, and Ed O’Beirne, PA, MHS, CCS, CDIP, will review cardiac anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, as well as cover cardiac system coding challenges through a look at the 2019 ICD-10-CM codes. Through examples, the speakers will provide coders with the details they need to decipher provider documentation and code compliantly.

For more information or to order, call 800-650-6787 or visit the HCPro Healthcare Marketplace.
 

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Amanda Norris
Editor
JustCoding News: Inpatient
editor@justcoding.com


HCPro
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JustCoding's Member Spotlight

This month we are pleased to introduce Roger Hettinger, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, COC, CPC, CPCO, CPB, CPMA, CRC, CEDC, CGSC, CHONC, CIMC, CUC, CGIC, CHC, CRCR, Senior Revenue Cycle Advisor for Axea Solutions, Inc. in Cumming, Georgia.

How did you get into this line of work? I started coding in 2000 and have worked in healthcare since 1994. Before I started coding, I worked in various areas of the healthcare business office doing functions such as entering charges, posting insurance payments, appeals, collections, and customer service. 

What is your favorite area of coding? My favorite area of coding has been emergency medicine. The coding is never boring or mundane, and there's a wide variety of diagnosis and CPT codes that can be reported.

Continue reading the member spotlight here.
 

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