Understanding the Impact of ICD-10

The conversion of International Classification Diseases (ICD) in the U.S. is making a mixed impression among the healthcare honchos.

The change in system will impact nurses, physicians, researchers, administrators, and other staffs of the healthcare business. The complex code structures, changes in electronic health records, and billing systems will require major upwards shift.

Anticipated impact will include:

  • ICD-10 will help to take the healthcare reform measures. The reform is related to administrative simplification, clinical efficacy, and quality-based payments
  • ICD-10 becomes will become an essential part in accurate research information, and billing and outcomes analysis
  • The health information management may likely to face issues coding, claims processing, and follow-ups
  • Claim denials may increase due to poor understanding of new code and coding requirements
  • ICD-10 affects the classification, processing, and presentation of mortality data
  • In ICD-10, some titles have been changed; categories has doubled up as a result of the addition or deletion of terms used to describe diseases or conditions
  • The shift of certain diseases from one section to another will witness new discoveries and advances in knowledge on the nature or cause of particular diseases
  • The adding up of separate categories classifies precise diseases or particular difficulty of certain diseases that are of growing interest

The medical codes change constantly and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), 10th Revision, has taken a front seat in the U.S. healthcare institutions from October, 2015. Therefore, coders must make themselves well accustomed of new rules and interpretations.

Above all, the emergence of ICD-10 will perk up clinical, financial, and administrative performances of the healthcare business. Besides, it will also prevent and help to detect healthcare fraud and abuse.



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