Assessing the Planning and Implementation Strategies for the ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Transition in Alabama Hospitals
Health information management (HIM) professionals play a significant role in transitioning from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM/PCS. ICD-10-CM/PCS coding will impact many operational aspects of healthcare facilities, such as physicians’ documentation in health records, coders’ process for review of clinical information, the billing process, and the payers’ reimbursement to the healthcare facilities. This article examines the level of readiness and planning for ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation among hospitals in Alabama, identifies training methods/approaches to be used by the hospitals, and discusses the challenges to the ICD-10-CM/PCS coding transition.