About 10% of neonates require some form of respiratory assistance at birth. To assign ICD-10-PCS ventilation codes correctly, it is important for Coding Professionals to understand the difference between invasive and noninvasive ventilation. An understanding of respiratory assistance given solely for the purposes of newborn resuscitation vs ongoing respiratory assistance...

In this fifth installment of our series on oncology quality studies we will discuss the preparation and writing of the summary analysis and study results. See links for parts 1-4 below.  Although there are no official content outlines for writing the final report, it is important to have a written document that states the project’s goals, lists the strategies used to...

My first blog on Diabetes Mellitus (DM) covered the pathophysiology of DM Types 1, 1.5, and 2. Read Part 1 Here. Types 1 and 2 (and even 1.5, though not “officially” recognized) are considered primary types of DM. There are other forms of DM that are due to underlying conditions or are “induced” by drugs or chemicals. Complications of primary DM include: hyperglycemia,...

The cancer registry network is a powerful resource in oncology healthcare. The connections and relationships with members of the cancer care team are a valuable source of knowledge and provide many opportunities for resource-sharing and growth. The cancer registry should never be maintained solely for the purpose of meeting minimum reporting requirements. Instead, it...

Colonoscopies are critical to our well being. How these important services are documented and coded is equally as important. Medicare covers screening colonoscopies every 24 months if the patient is at high risk for colon cancer or once every 120 months, or 48 months after a previous flexible sigmoidoscopy. No cost to the beneficiary for screening colonoscopies and the...

In my estimation, we in healthcare, love initials after our last names. While I have no actual data to support my “theory”, I’d say that most of us involved in healthcare (whether practitioners or allied health professionals) have more that one credential. Professional credentials are our way of proving our expertise in a given subject such as HIM, coding, compliance,...

In this fourth installment of our series on oncology quality studies we will talk about conducting the study according to the planned methodology or quality measures and how to organize the data collection process. The methodology is the roadmap, or strategy, that describes the way the study is to be conducted and identifies the methods to be used during the process. The...

On June 3 – 5, 2021 cancer registrars across the country came together for the National Cancer Registrar’s Association (NCRA) 47th Annual Educational Conference. This year’s event was held virtually and offered up to 29.25 continuing education (CE) hours featuring workshops and presentations from the standard-setting agencies and cancer registry community. Conference...

As value-based healthcare models continue to grow, the collection and documentation of social determinants of health data has become a key factor in improving patient care and outcomes. As HIM and Coding Professionals, our role in understanding, collecting and appropriately reporting social determinants of health is more important than ever. What are social determinants...

As coders, we often encounter common coding scenarios that seem straightforward, but we may need to be reminded of applicable guidelines and coding advice. Sometimes this requires us to seek further clarification if the documentation is not clear. With awareness of the documented circumstances and pertinent guidance, the potential implications for inaccurate coding can be...