ICD-10 debut: New coding system launches at Texas Children’s October 1

September 29, 2015

93015ICD10640On Thursday, October 1, Texas Children’s will join other hospitals across the world and switch from ICD-9 to the expanded ICD-10 code sets to report patients’ diagnoses and procedures.

The ICD-10 system will allow greater detail and precision in describing patient care and acuity. This increased level of detail will improve our clinical providers’ ability to track data, enhance the measurement of care quality and safety, refine the claims reimbursement process and ultimately, improve clinical, financial and administrative performances.

For more than a year, Texas Children’s ICD-10 preparedness teams have worked diligently to ensure all employees are prepared for the mandatory October 1 conversion. As of today, 100 percent of our clinicians, nurses and nonclinical support staff have reached full compliance with the required training and education necessary to ensure organization-wide readiness.

While previous ICD-10 delays prompted some organizations to pause during their preparations, Texas Children’s has continued forward with technical application remediation, provider training and education to all impacted service areas.

“We would not be able to achieve this level of preparedness without the tremendous support we received from leaders across our organization,” said Texas Children’s Director of Health Information Management Austin Frazier. “Your commitment and the support from our executive team helped us achieve this milestone as we transition to this important shift in health care. Thank you!”

As we start the final countdown to ICD-10, here are some helpful resources to consider:

1. Where do I go for additional information on ICD-10?

Below are links to a quick fact sheet and helpful sites with basic information on ICD-10 to see how this change will impact your own medical record documentation:

ICD-10 Video

ICD-10 Fact Sheet

ICD-10 Industry Updates

ICD-10 Myths and Facts

2. What if I have technical issues on or after October 1 related to ICD-10?

Contact the IS Help Desk at Ext. 4-3512 for all system related questions and concerns. Clinicians can contact the 4 Epic team for support

3. Is there a crosswalk tool to assist me?

Yes. Revenue Cycle has developed a tool for quick code translation to support the organization. Those users who will be heavily impacted will be able to reference this SharePoint site directly.

4. Who should I contact if I have additional questions about ICD-10?

For other questions or concerns, email Frazier or call him at Ext. 4-1605.