Medical Billing Forum

Billing => Billing => : Ango_mark03 September 27, 2013, 10:22:00 AM

: Why physicians do not trust their EHRs to assign codes?
: Ango_mark03 September 27, 2013, 10:22:00 AM
Why physicians do not trust their EHRs to assign codes?
Most physicians avoid EHR generated medical codes.Is that true ?
: Re: Why physicians do not trust their EHRs to assign codes?
: rdmoore2003 September 27, 2013, 11:42:05 AM
The ehr/emr systems I have worked on over the years only assign the codes that the physician/provider chooses
: Re: Why physicians do not trust their EHRs to assign codes?
: RichardP September 27, 2013, 06:47:36 PM
An EHR/EMR is a core system.  Most of the more recent ones are capable of accepting add-ons, or sub-routines, that add to the functionality of the EHR/EMR.

One such add-on are software programs that will scan the notes the doctor types, looking for key words or phrases.  The software will then generate a list of CPT and/or DX codes, or both - depending on the sophistication of the software.  The software can be set to automatically assign these codes to the patient for that date of service, or to present them to the doctor to let him decide which codes he wants to assign to the patient.

Most physicians avoid EHR generated medical codes.  Is that true ?

I don't know how such a statistic would get compiled.  Perhaps by survey, but survey's are notorious for their low response rates.  So I would be wary of the word most.  But I imagine most doctors would like to be certain that their patients are being coded correctly, and so would at least want the ability to pass judgement on whatever set of codes some software program generated for a given patient on any given date of service.  That makes sense to me.
: Re: Why physicians do not trust their EHRs to assign codes?
: PMRNC October 02, 2013, 09:59:02 PM
One such add-on are software programs that will scan the notes the doctor types, looking for key words or phrases.  The software will then generate a list of CPT and/or DX codes, or both - depending on the sophistication of the software.  The software can be set to automatically assign these codes to the patient for that date of service, or to present them to the doctor to let him decide which codes he wants to assign to the patient.

VERY limited knowledge on EHR and I like it that way, I don't want to deal with it and glad I don't have to. LOL.. but that above scares the crap out of me.. scans the notes for codes?? I am not picturing this working out so well.
: Re: Why physicians do not trust their EHRs to assign codes?
: RichardP October 02, 2013, 11:18:33 PM
.. scans the notes for codes??

Scans the notes for key words, and generates codes from the key words.  Same thing a human does.  You can build a library of key words and customize the codes they refer to.  Still would be good to have a human review the output.
: Re: Why physicians do not trust their EHRs to assign codes?
: PMRNC October 04, 2013, 06:41:27 PM
Still would be good to have a human review the output.

One of the reasons I've opted out of the NY health information exchanges is because of this.. not once but TWICE myself and my daughter have had errors in our reports that would have impacted care tremendously. NO Thank you.