ICD-10: Training Ahead for Medical Billing & Coding Specialist

ICD-10 Training as a part of Medical Billing and Coding Program

ICD-10 is slated to become mandatory in the US from October 1, 2014.  But where do we stand as on date?

ICD-10 preparedness surveys of health care institutions across the US have thrown up mixed data.  The surveys note that larger institutions are on average, more prepared than the smaller health care setups.  And generally, the overall preparedness in the industry is below-par.  Anxiety runs high, and the deadline is being dreaded.

No matter what the health care industry remains anxious about, the upgradation to ICD-10 will definitely occur.  In this scenario, facing the challenge head-on is the best option; as compared to avoiding the problem till it is no longer avoidable.

The most important piece of the ICD-10 ‘preparedness jigsaw’; is immediate education and training of the medical billing and coding specialists.  

ICD-10: A Large Appetite

With 21 voluminous chapters, the ICD-10 code book can look menacing. However, regular study and proper understanding of the code book can dispel most of the fears.  In fact, a lot of medical professionals will appreciate the high level of detailing in ICD-10, which makes it more accurate and more exhaustive than ICD-9.  

So with ICD-10, It will no longer simply be a fracture in the finger; it will be a fracture in the particular spot of a particular finger of a particular hand.  The new coding provides for much better awareness about medical conditions and procedures as compared to the previous norms.

ICD-10: Suggested Training Approach

Wisdom suggests that best way to eat an elephant, is eating it one piece at a time.  The same goes for ICD-10 training.  This large elephant should also be eaten – one chapter at a time.  The 21 chapters should be divided into equal time frames and should be studied one after the other, with regular in-between revision.  Some online tools for practice are also available.
 
As soon as the deadline of October 1, 2014 hits, the work is going to become even tougher – atleast for the time being.  The reason for this is ‘dual coding’.  When ICD-10 will become mandatory, ICD-9 will not cease immediately.  For some months the overlapping will remain, and medical billing and coding specialists will have to code according to both the standards. 

Hence, the best time to train for ICD-10 is before the deadline hits.  This provides you with the time to learn without the stress of simultaneously having to implement it at the workplace, when you will also be additionally burdened under the additional workload of dual coding.  Begin now, each day of delay is making the task tougher.   

ICD-10 Training: The AIHT Advantage

American Institute of Healthcare & Technology (AIHT Education) in Stratford, CT has devised focused strategies to train medical billing and coding specialists in the nitty-gritty of the ICD-10 standard.  

Through a balanced mix of classroom, theory and practical, AIHT Education takes the medical billing and coding student through all the important aspects as well as finer details of ICD-10.  The training is provided through in-house materials developed by our qualified faculty members.  Also, training happens in an interactive format; where class participation and questions are encouraged.  The AIHT faculty members never shy away from going the extra mile in terms of both time and effort, to ensure that the medical billing and coding students are confident about their learning and knowledge.

Considering the approaching ICD-10 deadline, the AIHT medical coding and billing specialist course curriculum and pedagogy is planned and delivered to enable quick grasping with thorough understanding to the student.  With over 100,000 codes, it is quite obvious that no one is expected to remember all of them.  So the important aspect is to grasp the fundamentals of ICD-10, and to understand the logic behind the coding system.  This understanding makes ICD-10 easier and uncomplicated to work with. 

There is a huge surge in the demand for medical billing and coding specialists who are ‘ICD10-ready’; and this demand is only going to keep rising as the deadline nears and chaos occurs.  AIHT is fully equipped to deliver industry-ready training for ICD-10 coding.  While many may consider ICD-10 a pain in the neck, it is a once-in-a-decade chance for the ambitious and/or the opportunist to enter an in-demand profession.  Get trained at AIHT Education now and enhance your medical billing and coding specialist career immediately.

Visit http://www.aihtedu.com/medical-billing-coding-specialist.html for more information about Medical Billing & Coding Specialist Program offered at AIHT Education in Stratford, CT.