4 tips for engaging physicians in ICD-10 training

When it comes to ICD-10 preparation, a wise course would be to control what you can and prepare for what you can’t, says Adam L. Myers, M.D., chief medical officer of Texas Health Physicians Group.

Though many organizations have been waiting to prepare, thinking there would be yet another delay, that doesn’t appear likely at this point, Myers writes in an article at Hospitals & Health Networks. That’s despite a bill in the house calling for an 18-month grace period and the American Medical Association backing of a plan to ban the new code set altogether.

Though many haven’t completed certain ICD-10 steps, Myers says, organizations in an ideal world at this point already would have:

• Confirmed readiness of all affected vendors
• Confirmed coders and billing personnel are prepared
• Identified and trained key clinical specialties likely to be most affected
• Set aside funds sufficient to weather the short-term revenue-cycle effects come Oct. 1

While it’s not that difficult to identify the clinicians most likely to be affected, Myers also offers tips for engaging them in training and transformation, which include:

1. Offer substantive specialty-specific face-to-face training at flexible times
2. Consider transitioning some facilities or practices early in order to share lessons learned
3. Create on-demand specialty-specific training options that providers can access as Oct. 1 approaches and passes. Be prepared for a surge in last-minute requests
4. Have ICD-10 super-users and physician champions on-site to help with the transition

Naming a project manager to coordinate with practices is one way to engage physicians in the new code set, according to consultants D’Arcy Gue and Thomas Grove of Phoenix Health Systems.

Testing and lack of contingency planning were among doctors’ biggest ICD-10 concerns, expressed by 100 physician groups led by the American Medical Association in a letter sent in March to Acting Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Andrew Slavitt.

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