Our experts answer questions about followup visits in the ED, skin substitutes, flu vaccines, osteoporosis and fractures in ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-CM external cause code, modifier for discontinued cardioversion, and modifier -25
The July 2013 MRB article I wrote discussed the importance of competency and skills testing in the workplace relative to new and evolving roles in the HIM department. In this issue, we discuss "not knowing what you don't know." In other words, there is a significant knowledge gap about the importance of EDMS in EHRs.
So what's it like from the HIM professor's point of view? We catch up with 37-year professor Anita Hazelwood, RHIA, FAHIMA, program director of HIM at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
This article is based on the results of MRB's quarterly benchmark survey. This month, we chose to survey respondents on EHR implementation and challenges.
Doctors might know what's best for their patients, but patients don't always choose to follow that advice. Over these past few issues, CMM has talked about CMS' new suggested best practices, which were included in revisions to the discharge planning section of the CMS State Operations Manual. These new recommendations call on facilities to carefully investigate patients' refusals to heed medical advice and document their reasons for doing so. However, there is more you can do when a patient balks at a physician's instructions, says Wendy De Vreugd, RN, BSN, PHN, FNP, CCDS, MBA, senior director of case management at West Region Kindred Healthcare, Hospital Division.
In the August and September issues, CMM told you about a recent set of revisions to the discharge planning section of the CMS State Operations Manual. While most of the changes amounted to housekeeping, CMS did take the unusual step of including some non-binding best practice recommendations related to discharge practices. Surveyors won't penalize your organization if you don't follow these recommendations, but experts recommend following the agency's advice whenever possible.
