It has been roughly two weeks since the Department of Health and Human Services announced its intent to delay the Oct. 1, 2013, compliance date for ICD-10, and healthcare experts and ICD-10 specialists have started to weigh in on the situation.
Debbie Mackaman, regulatory specialist for HCPro, says in a news release that as HHS and CMS draft new rulemaking and commenting periods for a new ICD-10 timeline, healthcare providers ought to make their voices heard. "Make CMS well aware of the facts regarding your current ICD-10 progress and the overwhelming burdens that any delay would create," she says.
Many within the physician community have viewed the delay as a relief, as several independent physician practices are trying to cope with meaningful use initiatives, electronic medical record implementation and other competing priorities.
However, providers who have already embarked on widespread ICD-10 implementation, such as many hospitals, should stay on course to complete the inevitable. "I agree with the position to continue efforts until such time as we get an actual date change," says Gloryanne Bryant, regional managing health information management director at Northern California Kaiser Hospitals.
Mark Segal, vice president of government and industry affairs at GE Healthcare, also emphasizes that today's healthcare environment requires both healthcare organizations and vendors to be flexible to this delay while remaining committed to the eventual adoption of ICD-10.
Jennifer Avery, regulatory specialist for HCPro, adds that although ICD-10 is no longer the ideal upgrade to ICD-9, procrastination should not be the barrier to ultimately improve both diagnoses of diseases and reimbursement procedures. "I think it would be a tragedy to delay the process any further because we are so far behind the ball now that it is going to be even more difficult playing catch up," she says.
Debbie Mackaman, regulatory specialist for HCPro, says in a news release that as HHS and CMS draft new rulemaking and commenting periods for a new ICD-10 timeline, healthcare providers ought to make their voices heard. "Make CMS well aware of the facts regarding your current ICD-10 progress and the overwhelming burdens that any delay would create," she says.
Many within the physician community have viewed the delay as a relief, as several independent physician practices are trying to cope with meaningful use initiatives, electronic medical record implementation and other competing priorities.
However, providers who have already embarked on widespread ICD-10 implementation, such as many hospitals, should stay on course to complete the inevitable. "I agree with the position to continue efforts until such time as we get an actual date change," says Gloryanne Bryant, regional managing health information management director at Northern California Kaiser Hospitals.
Mark Segal, vice president of government and industry affairs at GE Healthcare, also emphasizes that today's healthcare environment requires both healthcare organizations and vendors to be flexible to this delay while remaining committed to the eventual adoption of ICD-10.
Jennifer Avery, regulatory specialist for HCPro, adds that although ICD-10 is no longer the ideal upgrade to ICD-9, procrastination should not be the barrier to ultimately improve both diagnoses of diseases and reimbursement procedures. "I think it would be a tragedy to delay the process any further because we are so far behind the ball now that it is going to be even more difficult playing catch up," she says.
More Articles on ICD-10:
CHIME: HHS Must Move Quickly Toward New ICD-10 Date
HHS to Delay ICD-10 Compliance Date