Transition to ICD-10: Place your practice on the ICD-10 implementation timeline

Why This Topic Matters

The article helps practices understand where they should be in the ICD-10 transition process and what kinds of organizational planning activities were being emphasized by CMS. It matters for teams that needed to coordinate staffing, documentation review, and operational readiness without missing key implementation milestones.

Article Sections

1. Implementation readiness and early planning

   Introduces CMS guidance on where practices should be in the ICD-10 transition process and outlines the need for assessment and planning. It also discusses practice-level coordination and early-stage readiness activities.

2. Practice committee and workflow assessment

   Describes forming an internal steering committee and reviewing where ICD-9 is used across the practice. This section focuses on broad operational areas that may be affected by the transition.

3. Training, gap analysis, and documentation review

   Covers general preparation activities for coders and physicians, including identifying education needs and reviewing documentation patterns. It also addresses the timing of more intensive training later in the implementation process.

4. ICD-10 timeline

   Presents CMS’s suggested phase-based timeline for ICD-10-CM implementation in physician practices. The section summarizes the major planning, implementation, ramp-up, and post-launch periods.