Workshops

How are ICD-10-CM and PCS Different from ICD-9-CM? – The purpose of this presentation is to familiarize the learner with the organization and structure of ICD-10-CM/PCS and the similarities and differences between the current system and ICD-10-CM/PCS. The discussion will also cover coding conventions and guidelines, as well as chapter-specific changes. This presentation will prepare the learner for future in-depth study of the new ICD-10-CM and PCS coding systems.

Target Audience: Any level of staff in any healthcare facility.
Time: 1.5 hours

***********

Diagnosis Coding the ICD-10-CM Way – This presentation will familiarize the attendee with the organization and structure of ICD-10-CM and the similarities and differences between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM. The discussion will also cover coding conventions and guidelines, as well as chapter-specific changes. This presentation will prepare the attendee for future in-depth study of the ICD-10-CM diagnostic coding system.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Quality Improvement and Compliance Professionals working in any healthcare setting.
Time: 1 hour, 2 hour and 3 hour versions available

***********

A Whole New Way to Code Procedures: ICD-10-PCS – This presentation will describe the new ICD-10-PCS procedural coding system for hospital inpatient services that will become effective on October 1, 2013. We will discuss the seven-character codes and the structural nature of the code sections. There will be an overview of the general steps in coding using this new system and an introduction to the general coding guidelines.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Quality Improvement and Compliance Professionals working or concerned about data in the inpatient hospital setting.
Time: 1 hour and 2 hour versions available

***********

Root Operation Review for ICD-10-PCS – The ICD-10-PCS classification system uses specific definitions of root operations that can be performed on a variety of different body systems and body parts. This session will review the root operations, their definitions and any unique issues related to assigning the root operation character.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM and Compliance Professionals working in the inpatient hospital setting.
Time: 2 to 3 hours

***********

Workflow Analysis: A First Step toward the EHR – This program will help you document the answers to two big questions – “How do we do the work now?” and “How would we like to do it in the future?” Being able to share these answers with software companies, developers or customizers is the first step toward a successful EHR selection and implementation. You’ll learn to document in a language that they understand to increase the probability of successful outcomes for any technology project.

Target Audience: Any level of management staff in any department, in any health care facility.
Time: 1.5 to 2 hours

***********

Digging Deeper into Your Coded Data (Alternate Title: Find that Revenue While Staying Compliant) – Think like a detective when requesting coding database reports. This session teaches you how to formulate reports for inpatient, outpatient and professional fee data so you can detect what “just doesn’t look right”. Use this information to help select a more valuable audit sample for your compliance program.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Quality Improvement and Compliance Professionals working in the inpatient, outpatient or physician setting.
Time: 1 hour

***********

What Can RVU Data Do For You? – This session details the concepts of the Relative Value System used by Medicare to value services coded with CPT. Attendees will learn how RVU data can assist in the understanding of practice patterns and profitability of the service area. The basics of RVU analysis will be discussed, as well as calculating a break even conversion factor.

Target Audience: Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Quality Improvement and Compliance Professionals, or data analysts working in the outpatient or physician setting.
Time: 1 hour

***********

Bell Curve Analysis – Utilization Pattern Analysis, commonly called Bell Curve Analysis, can be used to compare and display any group of data that has two or more value points. While frequently used to analyze evaluation and management code data, bell curve analysis can provide valuable information about MS-DRG and APC data, as well. Learn how to calculate the percentages and how to display the data effectively.

Target Audience: Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Quality Improvement and Compliance Professionals, or data analysts working in the inpatient, outpatient or physician setting.
Time: 1 hour

***********

Sources of Healthcare Data for Comparison – It is imperative for data analysts to know where to locate both internal and external data of different types to assist in data analysis. This session provides information on various free sources of data that are helpful in performance or quality improvement efforts and how to use them effectively.

***********

The Value of HCUP Data in Hospital Benchmarking – Learn how to use free comparative data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) to benchmark hospital performance for length of stay, mortality rates and charges. This session will cover the range of available data and how to obtain the data needed for a benchmarking project. It will also cover the Clinical Classification Software (CCS) developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that is used to cluster patients into clinically cohesive groups that are different from MS-DRGs.

Target Audience: Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Quality Improvement and Compliance Professionals, or data analysts working in the inpatient and outpatient setting.
Time: 1 hour

***********

Practice Management Fundamentals (Alternate Titles: “Practice Management for Rookies” or “What Goes on in that Physician Practice Anyway?”) – This session discusses the organizational dynamics of a physician practice, the business and clinical operations of the practice and the information, financial and risk management strategies used in a physician practice.

Target Audience: Those new to physician practice management, HIM professionals who consult with physician practices (internally as well as externally) and IS professionals working on EHR implementations in physician practices.
Time: 2 hours

***********

Auditing and Monitoring for Compliance – A comprehensive look at auditing and monitoring for hospital inpatient, outpatient and physician services. The full-day seminar covers auditing and monitoring of finances, DRGs, APCs, CPT procedures, E&M codes, Lab and X-ray services. The program covers the steps involved in auditing and reinforces learning by using exercises and three audit simulations, one each for inpatient, outpatient and physicians.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Compliance and Internal Audit Professionals working in the inpatient, outpatient or physician setting.
Time: Full Day (6 to 6.5 hours with breaks and lunch)

***********

Auditing and Monitoring of CPT Coding Compliance – This program teaches you the differences between auditing and monitoring and provides practical methods for their completion in the CPT coding environment. You’ll learn how to audit a variety of CPT code types for both Pro Fee and Facility, and how to analyze your coding patterns to select the most effective sample type. You’ll also learn how to design a program that’s economical, practical and effective using internal or external auditors.

Target Audience: Outpatient coders and financial services staff who work with facility and professional fee CPT coding, physician office staff, and compliance professionals.
Time: 1 to 1.5 hours

***********

Auditing and Monitoring of Professional Fee Coding – Auditing and monitoring are vital to a Compliance Plan. This program teaches you the differences between auditing and monitoring and provides practical methods for their completion. You’ll learn to audit a variety of professional fee services, including E/M coding, and how to design a program that’s economical, practical and effective using internal or external auditors.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management Staff, Directors of HIM, and Compliance Professionals working in the physician setting. Also appropriate for those responsible for professional fee coding, billing and compliance.
Time: 1 to 1.5 hours

***********

Using the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database to Your Advantage – This free database is the modern Rosetta stone for Medicare coding and payment for physician services. It holds the key to how and why Medicare will or won’t pay for services. Learn how to obtain the data and use it to appropriately set fees and produce clean and compliant claims for all services, not just Medicare services.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Compliance and Internal Audit Professionals working in the physician setting.
Time: 1 hour

***********

Take Charge of Your Coding and Billing Process (Alternate Title: Winning in the Game of Physician Coding and Reimbursement) – This program discusses the reimbursement concepts that are common to all physician practices in all specialties. The content covers evaluating the current process and measuring performance, as well as comparing your E/M patterns with Medicare data, building a better charge ticket, and finding those missing charges.

Target Audience: HIM professionals, coders, reimbursement specialists and billing office personnel in the physician setting.
Time: 2 hours

***********

Is Your Physician Office Laboratory Compliant? – It’s vitally important to know whether your lab claims are putting you at risk for a third-party payer audit. Laboratory coding and billing has its own set of rules, intertwined with the CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act) regulations. This session will teach you the compliance issues related to your laboratory and how to audit the lab.

Target Audience: HIM professionals, coders, reimbursement specialists and billing office personnel in the physician setting. Especially well suited to a combined meeting with members of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
Time: 1 hour

***********

CPT Coding for Primary Care – Half-day workshop covering the basics of E/M coding and procedures commonly performed in the office setting. This session teaches the techniques of CPT coding used in the physician office. The session also provides basic education for those who wish to audit physician services performed in the office.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Compliance and Internal Audit Professionals working in the physician setting, or anyone else wishing to learn skills in this area. Education is provided from the coder perspective.
Time: 3 hours

***********

E/M Documentation Requirements for Physicians – Learn the documentation requirements for all categories of E/M codes and how to properly assign codes to this documentation.

Target Audience: Physicians or providers in either independent practice or employed by a facility, such as an ER physician or hospitalist. Appropriate for an annual refresher course for physicians at facilities where physicians are employed.
Time: 2 hours

NOTE: Can be presented as 2, one-hour sessions and be tailored to E&M code assignment for coders.

***********

Understanding and Working with Medical Necessity Rules – Learn how to work with National Coverage Determinations (NCDs), Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) and Advance Beneficiary Notifications (ABNs) to achieve appropriate and compliant reimbursement for your ancillary procedures.

Target Audience: Coders, Patient Accounts staff, Revenue Cycle Managers in the hospital outpatient or physician practice setting.
Time: 1 hour

***********

Performing an Operational Evaluation of Your Physician Office – Learn the tricks of systematic medical practice self-evaluation from a seasoned expert. This session will cover both proven techniques for evaluation and the questions to ask regarding the infrastructure, front office, clinical areas and financial services of your practice.

Target Audience: Healthcare staff working in a physician practice or providing support to a physician practice in a health system setting.
Time: 1 to 1.5 hours

***********

CPT Coding for Laboratory and Pathology Services – This program covers the unique methods used in code assignment in the Pathology and Laboratory Section of CPT. Terminology pertinent to the section, as well as the steps in code assignment in this section will be covered.

Target Audience: Coders, Coding management staff, Directors of HIM, Compliance and Internal Audit Professionals working in a healthcare setting that codes and reports services provided in the Laboratory.
Time: 1 hour

***********

Advanced CPT Coding for Orthopedics, Neurology and Spinal Surgery – Covers both open and laparoscopic shoulder and knee surgery, cranial surgery and spinal surgery, where Orthopedics and Neurology come together. Three hour format with class exercises for each topic area.

Advanced CPT Coding for Shoulders and Knees
One-hour orthopedic portion of the longer, three hour format. Includes class exercises for Orthopedics.

Advanced CPT Coding for Spinal Surgery
One-hour spinal surgery portion of the longer, three hour format. Includes class exercises for spinal surgery.

Target Audience: Outpatient or physician practice coders and coding auditors
Time: 3 hours

***********

Advanced CPT Coding for Skin Repair and Replacement Surgery – Discusses skin anatomy, advanced skin repair procedures, and provides an advanced discussion of skin substitutes and skin replacement surgery. Includes a discussion of coding the skin substitute supplies used.

Target Audience: Outpatient or physician practice coders and coding auditors
Time: 1 to 1.5 hours, Can include hands-on exercises for a 2 hour program

***********

Advanced CPT Coding for Behavioral Health and Psychiatry – This course covers the coding options for Psych services, including a discussion of testing codes and all treatment modalities. It reviews the use of E/M codes for Psych services, including consultations and discusses the documentation recommended for codes 90801, 90802 and the psychotherapy codes. Psychiatric examples are used throughout the discussion.

Target Audience: Psychiatrists, outpatient or physician practice coders and coding auditors
Time: 1 to 1.5 hours

***********

Other programs are developed upon request to fit your needs.