The ICD-10 transition was completed over a year ago.  Most providers and payers have ironed out technical and coding proficiency issues, yet a persistent problem still lurks in your EHR system. Most EHR systems have drop-down menus in which ICD-10 code choices or search returns are in numerical order where say the fifth digit of 0 – indicating unspecified – is the first return or choice, while the more specific choices are farther down the list. Physicians are often picking the first code that appears in the drop-down menu creating potential for claims to be at risk due to continuous submission of unspecified diagnoses.

EHR vendor software may even lack a second drop-down menu to select manifestations.  Take diabetes for example. There are over 250 ICD-10 codes for diabetes and lot of EHR vendors may not even provide an option to select any manifestations.

Does this mean that your EHR vendor is trying to make things more difficult? The answer is no. Most lists are in some kind of order – whether numerical or alphabetical. Drop-down lists may not even have most used codes by the physician, most searched codes or “favorite” codes, they are simply a list based on search criteria with no extra design for usage.

The solution to correct ICD10 selection that minimizes audit risk and facilitates correct coding can be found at Context 4 Healthcare. Let us help you by contacting us.