Within the past 20 years, medical coding has evolved in a significant way. In the 80’s most documentation was either handwritten or transcribed and sometimes typed on an electric typewriter. As advances in technology became more affordable to the public in general, personal computers were used to type documents and save them onto floppy disks or print forms using the old dot-matrix printers. Coding was done through the use of a superbill or charge master, marked by the physician. Surgical services and procedures were entered into computer software billing systems and claims printed and mailed to insurance companies. Insurance and patient payments received via mail (snail mail) were entered into the same software program and monthly statements, showing a patient’s balance, were printed and mailed. The technology boom from the 1980s to the present has brought about enormous changes to how we manage information.
Aside from all the high-tech HIPAA laws that have been put into effect to secure patient information from falling into the wrong hands, additional computer system requirements have been put into effect to allow for better transfer and receipt of data between facilities and providers, providers and insurance companies, and government agencies. Some facilities and providers have such advanced systems that in situations where you are out of town or in the emergency room on the weekend, the provider taking care of you may have access to your medical records from your physician; even though their office if closed.
Now by reading above how it all began doesn’t a simple question comes to your mind about medical coding: Why do we code medical reports? To answer that, Medical coding is the first step in the medical billing process. We have to look at the massive amount of data that every patient visit entails. Medical coding services helping clients to reduce denials and optimize revenues. Medical Coding team of professional coders are well experienced in procedural and diagnostic coding. Organizations ensure all performed / documented procedures are coded accurately. Medical coding services reduce compliance risk and help stay focused more on core activities. Clearly, understanding the liability issues associated with incorrect coding and thrive to deliver with high quality. In a system loaded with data, medical coding allows for the efficient transfer of huge amounts of information. Coding also allows for uniform documentation between medical facilities. Medical coders play a crucial role in the revenue cycle process, as they help ensure health systems, hospitals and physicians are properly reimbursed for the services they provide. The code for streptococcal sore throat is the same in India as it is in US. Having uniform data allows for efficient research and analysis, which government and health agencies use to track health trends much more efficiently. Medical coding is done for medical billing and reimbursement purposes. All coders follow ICD-10 guidelines accurately incorporating recent changes, updates and recommendations. A well-established multi-tier system of expert view rules out the possibility of any error. Medical records are accessed through an encrypted and secure VPN. All documents are organized, split into manageable batches and reviewed several times by a different group of experts before further processing to ensure 100% accuracy. Finally, coding allows administrations to look at the prevalence and effectiveness of treatment in their facility. This is especially important to large medical facilities like hospitals. The purpose of this article is to entice you on the framework of the medical coding cycle and the opportunities pertaining to it.