Want To Code Medical Procedures And Bills Faster? Solutions
A big issue with a lot of medical coding is that it really is not that universal. One healthcare system might opt to use one software program, while another healthcare system uses something very different. Then there is the issue of operating systems and system-wide use of the same computers. If not all the same computers and the same operating system is used throughout one entire healthcare system, transitional issues over operating systems and computer-specific software occur. How do you get these issues to go away, besides the obvious solution of every office, every doctor, every clinic, etc., all having the same computer brand and the same medical coding software? Here are a few coding solutions.
Number by Department Software
It may help to find a company coding software program that first breaks down healthcare services by department, then by specialty, and then by procedure, assigning each procedure a number and/or a superscript, if necessary. In so doing, your medical coding and billing department and the specialists that work there only have to open the department tab first, and then scroll through to find the procedure by name, followed by its appropriate billing number. This simplifies the coding process and removes the guesswork in regards to how the coding and billing specialists locate the procedure/treatment and related coding number.
Separate Departmental Tabs
Another option is to separate all departments and keep each under its own tab in a filing system. The coding and billing specialists can keep the tabs they use most often up on the screen, and file the rest away, either on the computers they are using, or in "the Cloud" to access only when needed. Again, the process is simplified, and the specialists open the tabs they use most often to pull the codes they need as they go.
Create Custom Coding
There are medical coding companies that write custom medical coding for healthcare systems that request it. It is a unique approach to a common set of problems, but if you find that your current coding system, and all other coding systems, just are not working for your healthcare system, a custom coding list may be exactly what you need. Sit down and talk to a company that does this to see how they can create the perfect custom coding system. Then, if you like what you see, move forward with the project, and integrate it universally throughout your healthcare system.
