October 2010 | Cardiovascular Business

ICD-10 Switch Requires Time, but Practices Lag in Planning

On Oct. 1, 2013, physician practices and hospitals will be required by CMS to have transitioned from the 30-year-old ICD-9-CM codes to the ICD-10-CM (clinical modification) and ICD-10-PCS (procedural coding system) codes. The switch will cost time and money because ICD-10 has nearly nine-times more codes. Many practices and facilities, however, have not even begun a preliminary assessment of what the transition will require, which could negatively impact their bottom line.

Stroke Imaging: Whats Best vs. Whats Practical

The solid evidence points to MRI as the first-line test for acute stroke assessment. Limited scanner availability, however, has prompted many to rely on CT, despite the lack of rigorous clinical studies to support its use.

Timely Meaningful Use Adoption Could Reap Thousands of Dollars

The final meaningful use criteria for EHRs released in July by CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) scaled back the original interim final rule. The newer version with less stringent requirements gives cardiologists more of a chance to secure federal dollars for incentive payments to offset the cost of health IT adoption. But will current EMR technologies make the meaningful use cut?

First Word: Scary Trends

In this month of trick or treating, we are reminded that cardiology practices and departments are continually searching for tricks to maintain or bolster their treats. While the slumping economy has been challenging, there are further challenges of EHR implementation and ICD-10 coding conversion deadlines.

ACC Corner: New Survey Shows a Changing Practice Landscape

The intersection of a growing elderly population, the high rate of uninsured Americans, a weakened economy, healthcare reform and ongoing cuts to Medicare reimbursement has created a perfect storm that is testing the limits of the U.S. healthcare system and, specifically, independent physician practice models.

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