For those looking for top ICD-10 educational resources for in preparation for the October 1, 2014 coding changeover, this guide may help. Practitioners as well as medical billing and coding services must have the updated coding training before October 1, 2014, when it is scheduled to go into effect.
What are the ICD-10 changes?
The older ICD-9 Codes have been updated to reflect the advances in healthcare that have impacted the code sets used for reporting medical diagnoses and procedures. These changes will affect everything from provider contracts, software and billing systems, changes in vendor relations, budgeting and training issues and organizing the entire implementation process from top to bottom in your office or department.
ICD-10 training and other resources
Here are some of the best– including several, such as AHIMA, that offer courses designed to train your office’s trainers:
AHIMA – The American Health Information Management Association’s website is one of the main go-to places for anyone who is involved in medical billing, records management, and related health information support. AHIMA not can only help you with obtaining training and certification but offers a list of top ICD-10 seminars and workshops around the country that will get you or your staff up to speed on the latest updates and advances in your industry.
Among the ICD-10 online and in-person training and other workshops and course offerings through AHIMA are:
- ICD-10 Overview and readiness assessments
- Training pathways tailored to your role and setting, including home health, LTC, and physician practice
- Training for non-coding personnel involved in the transitioning
AAPC – Founded in 1988 to provide both training and certification for physician-office medical coders, the American Association of Professional Coders now offers a full spectrum of educational and credentialing resources including training in auditing, compliance, and practice management.
Their courses for ICD-10 training include online, a two-day ‘Boot Camp’ taught in a group setting in locations around the country, as well as on-site training.
Boot Camp courses include:
- Introduction to ICD-10 Coding
- Hands-on Coding Exercises
- Organizing the Implementation Plan
CMS – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services government website offers a wealth of official free resources for provides, payers and vendors looking for help with Medicare and Medicaid ICD-10 implementation timelines and planning as well as updates on the latest regulations, and other information. Some of the resources available include:
- ICD-10 fact sheet and FAQ pages
- Tips to ensure a smooth transition to the new coding
Other recommended sites for ICD-10 educational resources are:
HIMSS – Healthcare Information and Management Systems, an organization for health information professionals, offers a PlayBook page on its website with information about transitioning to ICD-10 for practitioners, hospitals, clinics and staff. Topics include:
- Planning and Implementation Advice
- An ICD-10 Financial Risk Calculator tool
- Vendor Readiness
WHO – World Health Organization – offers full ICD-10 training modules with Interactive Self learning tools on their website.
Medscape – As an online medical information and education website, they offer several resources for ICD-10 education and implementation for clinicians, group practices and other health-provider organizations. The site is free to join and offers regular updates on timely medical topics and education opportunities.
WEDI – The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange has information about various vendors offering education and other resources for ICD-10 coding.
Elsevier – Healthcare publisher Elsevier offers online ICD-10 training modules and manuals, prepared by leading coding educators.
Medical practices needing help with ICD-10 codes can contact us for free expert assessments and implementation strategies tailored for your practice.
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