Providers should develop a plan of action now in order to succeed with ICD-10. Your organization must identify available resources, assess training needs, build a training plan, and manage productivity during the transition process. During the transition, it will also be necessary to provide additional time for the coders to code. There are several free online resources available for implementing ICD-10, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS provides a helpful ICD-10 planning checklist and frequently asked questions for providers. The CMS link discussing ICD-10 can be found on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services IDC-10 page.
In order to achieve a smooth ICD-10 transition, CMS recommends your organization create and follow a variety of plans tailored to your unique needs and culture, including plans for:
- Project management
- Communication
- Assessment
- Implementation
- Testing
- Post-transition operations