Career Step Physician Advisor Speaks on Need to Educate Physicians on the Importance of ICD-10 Documentation Training
Career Step physician advisor Dr. Stephen Spain, MD, CPC, addressed the need to educate physicians on the impact the ICD-10 transition will have on their documentation in a recent broadcast.
Provo, UT, November 16, 2013 --(PR.com)-- In a recent Talk Ten Tuesdays broadcast, Career Step physician advisor Dr. Stephen Spain, MD, CPC, addressed the need to educate physicians on the impact the ICD-10 transition will have on their documentation. Dr. Spain was featured in the ICD-10: The Perfect Storm episode of Talk Ten Tuesdays, a popular podcast series produced by ICD10monitor.
“My biggest concern is that so many physicians believe the transition to ICD-10 is not going to happen—that somehow it will be canceled or postponed one more time,” said Dr. Spain. “Our job is to get physicians to develop a vested interest in preparing for this conversion. I am concerned that many physicians think this is a billing or coding issue that will not impact them very much. This could not be farther from the truth.”
A recent Modern Healthcare article on an ICD-10 pilot program conducted by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange touched on the importance of physician training. The article noted that negative results may have been due to imprecise medical documentation not adequate for the new ICD-10 codes, pointing to the need for physicians to hone documentation skills in preparation for changes ICD-10 will require.
“If physicians have an uncommitted attitude toward this transition, it could portend disaster,” continued Dr. Spain. “Career Step's program plan is to begin physician education with general concepts regarding the reasons behind the transition and the structure of ICD-10, without making them coders. The next step is to explain how this transition is going to affect their specific workflow and documentation requirements. I think once physicians have an understanding of that, they’re going to be very interested in the transition because it’s going to have a tremendous impact on their practice workflow.”
As Career Step's physician advisor, Dr. Spain provided guidance on the content and approach of Career Step's new ICD-10 Physician Education and Training and introduces the program's ICD-10: Understanding its Purpose and Value module. Career Step training encourages physician interest in ICD-10 by providing education that can be tailored to their specific needs. The ICD-10: Understanding its Purpose and Value module is designed for all physicians, and the curricula also includes 24 specialty training programs to make the best use of providers' time and optimize knowledge retention in preparation for the transition. All of the Career Step training modules are approximately 15 minutes in length and are delivered online, making the training available anytime, anywhere on a variety of technology platforms.
Dr. Spain is a family physician with over 30 years of practice experience. He earned his Certified Professional Coder (CPC) credential in 2007, is the immediate past president of the Tyler Chapter of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), and recently served as a member of the National Advisory Board of the AAPC.
To listen to the archived podcast, visit http://icd10monitor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86&Itemid=131. For more information on Career Step’s ICD-10 Physician Education and Training, visit http://corporatetraining.careerstep.com/physician-education-and-training or call 1-888-989-7512.
About Career Step
Career Step, an online provider of career-focused education and corporate training, has trained over 85,000 students, has more than 150 partnerships with colleges and universities nationwide, and provides training for some of the most respected healthcare employers in the nation. Career Step is committed to helping students and corporate employees alike gain the skills they need to be successful in the workplace, improving lives and business results through education. The institution's training programs are currently focused in healthcare, technology and administration, and more information can be found at www.careerstep.com or 1-800-246-7836.
“My biggest concern is that so many physicians believe the transition to ICD-10 is not going to happen—that somehow it will be canceled or postponed one more time,” said Dr. Spain. “Our job is to get physicians to develop a vested interest in preparing for this conversion. I am concerned that many physicians think this is a billing or coding issue that will not impact them very much. This could not be farther from the truth.”
A recent Modern Healthcare article on an ICD-10 pilot program conducted by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society and the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange touched on the importance of physician training. The article noted that negative results may have been due to imprecise medical documentation not adequate for the new ICD-10 codes, pointing to the need for physicians to hone documentation skills in preparation for changes ICD-10 will require.
“If physicians have an uncommitted attitude toward this transition, it could portend disaster,” continued Dr. Spain. “Career Step's program plan is to begin physician education with general concepts regarding the reasons behind the transition and the structure of ICD-10, without making them coders. The next step is to explain how this transition is going to affect their specific workflow and documentation requirements. I think once physicians have an understanding of that, they’re going to be very interested in the transition because it’s going to have a tremendous impact on their practice workflow.”
As Career Step's physician advisor, Dr. Spain provided guidance on the content and approach of Career Step's new ICD-10 Physician Education and Training and introduces the program's ICD-10: Understanding its Purpose and Value module. Career Step training encourages physician interest in ICD-10 by providing education that can be tailored to their specific needs. The ICD-10: Understanding its Purpose and Value module is designed for all physicians, and the curricula also includes 24 specialty training programs to make the best use of providers' time and optimize knowledge retention in preparation for the transition. All of the Career Step training modules are approximately 15 minutes in length and are delivered online, making the training available anytime, anywhere on a variety of technology platforms.
Dr. Spain is a family physician with over 30 years of practice experience. He earned his Certified Professional Coder (CPC) credential in 2007, is the immediate past president of the Tyler Chapter of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), and recently served as a member of the National Advisory Board of the AAPC.
To listen to the archived podcast, visit http://icd10monitor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86&Itemid=131. For more information on Career Step’s ICD-10 Physician Education and Training, visit http://corporatetraining.careerstep.com/physician-education-and-training or call 1-888-989-7512.
About Career Step
Career Step, an online provider of career-focused education and corporate training, has trained over 85,000 students, has more than 150 partnerships with colleges and universities nationwide, and provides training for some of the most respected healthcare employers in the nation. Career Step is committed to helping students and corporate employees alike gain the skills they need to be successful in the workplace, improving lives and business results through education. The institution's training programs are currently focused in healthcare, technology and administration, and more information can be found at www.careerstep.com or 1-800-246-7836.
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Career Step
Kim Zurawski
1-888-989-7512
http://corporatetraining.careerstep.com?uid=pub131115
Kim Zurawski
1-888-989-7512
http://corporatetraining.careerstep.com?uid=pub131115
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