As ICD Coding Becomes More Complicated, It Is Time To Outsouce So You Don’t Get Squashed Like A Bug On A Windshield
Kenyon HomeCare Consulting • March 3, 2021
ICD 10 coding changes just like everything else in the world of home health. If you don’t change with it, then you will get annihilated when you audit your charts or someone audits you. Ultimately, in order to cover yourself when the rubber hits the road, you must have people that know what they are doing when it comes to Oasis and coding. So many agencies are self-taught and it means a lot of errors not only in accuracy but also in calculation of dollars you receive. Let’s look at why outsourcing may make a lot of sense for you today.
5 Coding Mistakes By Agencies Today:
As we consider everything that has changed in the industry, does it make sense to continue coding the same way you did 20 years ago? Of course it doesn’t. However, it is something we see a lot. Here are some of the common mistakes we see today:
Non-Certified Coders Are Responsible For ICD 10 Coding
Nurses Do Their Own Coding
The Coder Isn’t Oasis Certified
The Coder’s Main Role In The Agency Is Another Job Position
The Person Responsible For Coding Does Not Keep Updated on Coding Changes Or Know Where To Find Updated Info
Are any of these things true in your agency? Don’t minimize a small Medicare footprint or the importance of getting the codes right. Don’t expect your coder to have multiple job roles and be the expert in coding and documentation too. You set them up for failure. It’s a problem at billing and auditing time. You need someone certified who knows everything that needs to be in documentation to place the code on the 485. It is way too common for the “coder” to be given the ICD 10 book and a title. It doesn’t mean the employee is qualified to code. Nurses have so many things to do in the home. Maybe ICD 9 coding was OK for your nurses to do, but this is a whole new ballgame. They need to provide the hands-on care and manage the care plan. They cannot spend the time needed to accurately code. Since the Oasis goes hand-in-hand with coding, your coder needs to be Oasis certified. It’s important for the person reviewing the documentation for coding really understands the assessment tool and how the codes need to coincide with it.
Auditing:
Let’s go back and consider the Oasis assessment tool, the nurse’s documentation, and the ICD 10 code together at the time of Medicare audit. When you make the mistakes we have listed above, you put your agency at big risk to lose a chunk of money when you get audited. You can’t look back later after your charts get pulled for ADR and wonder how you fix discrepancies from the nurse’s assessment, the Oasis, and the code itself. It’s too late. How many episodes of reimbursment can your agency afford to lose before you are at risk to close? Does cutting the corner of not having someone certified really save you money? No , it doesn’t. Spend the money. You will see the money you receive by getting the coding right should be more and you minimize your risk later.
Join Us For Our Free ICD 10 Coding Webinar:
Register today for our free ICD 10 coding webinar October 7th, Are You Leaving Money On The Table? At Kenyon Homecare Consulting, we can help you with your outsourced ICD 10 coding or help you with overflow in times of surge. Call us today at 206-721-5091 or contact us online to see how we can help you!here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
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HOPE Question and Answer Repository
Today, this article will look at little different than out typical articles. We all know the costs of losing employees and trying to hire and train new ones. It is exhausting and expensive. So, we think about our wages and benefit packages all the time. What can we do differently that makes people stay? We can’t change the job and we don’t want to keep people that don’t like the work itself. So, how do we acknowledge employees in a way that is valuable to them and that our businesses can afford to do? 5 Things To Consider About Employee Recognition At Your Christmas Party: 1. Years of Service: These can be based on milestone work anniversaries (5, 10, 15 yrs, etc.). If a person has been at your agency 11 years, you pull them up and acknowledge them in the group of employees who have been there at least 10 years up until the time they hit the 15 years landmark. This way longevity is recognized yearly. 2. Special Employee awards: Now, this may be difficult if your staff is very small, but acknowledge the employee who has gone the extra mile in the job they do. Tell the story. The employee needs to know when the employer is proud of the work that has been done. Consider a plaque or certificate. Don’t minimize the value of the employee having them to display. 3. Acknowledge all employees in the mix: Because we are a clinical industry, the administrative staff is often overlooked on day-to-day operations. Ultimately, don’t miss the chance to acknowledge the employee who was able to catch billing errors or collect on a large account. Staff doesn’t like to hear about money, but those types of collections keep Christmas bonuses in place! So, make sure the other staff knows the accomplishments of the finance department or the office manager that every caller loves to speak to. Don't ever forget the IT staff that is on call more than any clinical person in your agency! 4. Letters from the administration: Add a personal note to your staff either collectively or individually depending on the size of your agency. If you are larger, there are employees you don’t often see or get to talk to on a regular basis, so take the time so send a note with that Christmas bonus. 5. Consider the Christmas bonus: Listen, some of you can afford to do substantial monetary bonuses and that is fantastic. However, if you are not in that position, consider something in its place. Maybe small gas cards go with the letter from administration. With the cost of groceries, consider something that helps with the costs of daily living for employees. Big box gift cards in your area will always be used. You may do a lot of these things on a yearly basis to employees. All this being said, it doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons for acknowledgement throughout the year. However, your annual Christmas party is a good way to do it collectively. Between your annual party, write the individual cards to employees when you hear a patient interaction worthy of praise. Or, maybe you buy a gas card for the employee who has picked up extra shifts and always shows up on time. Ultimately, employees will feel valued. You will not regret the time, effort, and energy put into these efforts. Merry Christmas! If you want help with recruitment and retention strategies for your agency, please call Kenyon Homecare Consulting at 206-721-5091 or contact us online today.