Anyone mounting local protest to ICD-10 training?

[didja]

I'm still hopeful the AMA lobbyists come through and delay ICD-10 implementation beyond 1 Oct (like they have since 2013). Some progress was made this week actually since CMS won't dock civilians for messed up ICD-10 codes until 2016.

Unfortunately, as is the case in the civilian world, the bean counter/ clipboard crew/ medical coder intelligencia/ chief nurse/ HCI/ GPM types at my hospital are ignoring the legit possibilities that the delay may happen and are starting training on ICD-10. Everyone locally seems to think I'm crazy and that "this time there's no stopping ICD-10" (like they've been saying since 2013) so I'm curious if anyone with any power is considering that all this training may be a waste of time. The physician leadership at my hospital (who are by and large detached from meaningful clinical care ) seem to be especially oblivious about efforts by physicians to get congress to push back implementation. Just curious what others are experiencing. . .

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[DeadCactus]

Why is implementation of ICD-10 such a big deal?

 

[j4pac]

Why is implementation of ICD-10 such a big deal?

It helps medical administers get it up during long cold nights.

 

[didja]

ICD-10 doesn't change outcomes (other than largely irrelelevant statistics for bean counter types) and significantly adds to our workload. It is an unfunded mandate and when added to AHLTA will grind us to a halt.

 

[Homunculus]

for us training is going ahead as planned. 4 hour blocks i think.

we get paid pretty well to sit through these training sessions. ultimately a 4 hour block of instruction for something like this is like pissing on a brushfire, but i guess if it makes it look like we did our part we can at least say "hey it's not us" when disaster ensues.

--your friendly neighborhood urinating fruitlessly caveman

 

[pgg]

Try urinating on the AHLTA servers, it couldn't possibly make it any worse, and might even improve uptime.

 

[j4pac]

Just got done with ICD-10 training. I hate to play spoiler here, because I know that you are all excited about attending, but here is my review.

-"F*** you providers! We don't give a s*** about your productivity. We don't care if you have to spend more time coding and less time face to face with patients...because all that matters is perception." The ICD-10 SIGNIFICANTLY complicates medical coding. Instead of diagnosing acute mechanical back pain...now your you will select back pain...then mechanical...then duration...then specific body region...then whether they are undergoing active treatment...then whether it is an exacerbation of pain...oh and of course, don't forget the code that specifies that the patient is active duty. Keep in mind that this does NOTHING to change reimbursements. It's extra work to help healthcare administers orgasm at night.

-"F*** you providers! You are worried about AHLTAs ability to adapt? Stop your b****ing and bend over and take it!" There is no way that AHLTA is going to make this process seamlessly. It's going to result in coding noncompliance. I asked the coding lady giving the presentation about AHLTA and she told me "that's for IT to work out." Are we really expected to pretend like civilian ran medical network when we don't have coders who talk to IT?

But I'm done complaining about AHLTA, coders, insurers...this falls on providers for letting it get to this point. I feel like walking up to every provider I see and just slapping the heck out of them. Grow a spine people. We have significant healthcare reform occurring in our country...and providers are nowhere to be found. I seriously doubt that there is profession where its members are less invested in their profession than medicine.

 

[didja]

j4pac gets me.

 

[j4pac]

Oops...I forgot mention the most important blunder that ICD 10 creates. Do you know the patient that has abdominal pain, mild...and you are conducting an outpatient work-up? The diagnosis code ABDOMINAL PAIN and other vague descriptive diagnoses are going bye-bye. Even if you don't know the diagnosis because it is being worked-up...you are going to have to choose a specific diagnosis. If you don't...insurance providers will not reimburse! This is going to force physicians to select INCORRECT diagnoses which is going to lead to litigation. The coders, insurance companies, and lawyers are the big winners here...the big losers are the providers and patients.


To my surprise...the AMA is protesting ICD 10. https://ehrintelligence.com/news/ama-continues-protest-against-icd-10-implementation

There is now an online petition, which I HIGHLY encourage that you not only sign, but you forward it all of your friends on facebook and twitter. It's about time the physicians become more actively involved in reform decisions.

https://www.change.org/p/cms-vote-whether-to-stop-start-or-slow-the-move-to-icd-10

 

[deuist]

That petition is over three years old and is currently closed to new signatures.