This September 12 to the 16 will mark the sixth annual healthcare IT week, a time when IT organizations, government leaders and private industry groups will gather in Washington, D.C. to discuss healthcare initiatives. As a result, some companies are using this platform to discuss how major changes in the industry such as electronic medical records, medical billing software and ICD-10 will affect the future of healthcare.
"Timing and engagement are critical to success in the complex ICD-10 conversion process," Guillermo Moreno, vice president of the Experis Healthcare Practice, said in a recent press release. "While many healthcare leaders view the conversion as a simple technical/systems upgrade, the fact is the entire healthcare enterprise will be impacted by this process."
Depending on the size of a facility, an ICD-10 assessment may be necessary. This type of analysis can help an organization train its workers and provide the facility a roadmap to ICD-10's successful use.
For an added cost, an assessment will include a financial analysis of the budget impact an organization can expect due to the ICD-10 transition. This may be beneficial for hospitals with more than 300 beds, where the total price of its implementation could be greater than a few million dollars, as opposed to small facilities where it will be less costly. The cost of this service could be too much for some small facilities. As a result, they can assess a number of factors before making the decision.
This process may also take time, as a proper assessment requires the existing personnel to be interviewed and briefed on their role during the conversion process. Small facilities may not find this necessary and could benefit by selecting a few dedicated professionals to take the management lead. These individuals may be able to implement effective software solutions from trusted vendors, such as Medisoft, Lytec, Practice Choice and Allscripts.