What you should do now to prepare for ICD-10-CM

Why This Topic Matters

The transition to ICD-10-CM affects documentation, coder education, software systems, and payer transactions. Understanding the article helps organizations prioritize preparation activities and anticipate the operational impact of the change.

Article Sections

1. Preparation timing and training considerations

   Discusses when organizations should begin education efforts and how training needs may vary by role and experience. It also frames the transition as a significant but manageable change for coding teams.

2. Implementation of new electronic standards

   Covers the relationship between the diagnosis-code transition and updated electronic transaction standards. It addresses the operational importance of system readiness, vendor coordination, and testing.

3. How you can prepare right now

   Summarizes practical readiness activities for practices, including software coordination, documentation improvement, and coding staff education. The section emphasizes general preparation steps across departments.

4. Documentation education is first priority for coding managers

   Focuses on the need for more specific clinical documentation and broader terminology education. It highlights the role of documentation quality in supporting the upcoming diagnosis-code transition.

5. New ICD-9-CM Coding Tips Available

   Describes site features added to support current diagnosis-code lookup and navigation. It also notes the availability of current codes and related reference tools.

6. Official resources

   Provides references to external resources and supporting websites. This section points readers to additional guidance and code reference material.