A few weeks ago I had a great conversation with the editor of ICD-10 Watch about the pending transition to HIPAA 5010 and what it means to all practices in the nation. During this exchange, we discussed how National Testing Day went back in August and how my own company is preparing for the transition. After a short time, we turned our focus to what practices should be doing right now to get ready for 5010—including the different items that practices should be doing if they have a clearinghouse or if they file directly with payers.

The editor then proceeded to write a great column about this conversation, where he eloquently shared my tips for all of those that have not yet started to prepare. Now, I truly believe that all practices can prepare for the transition and still have time, but if you are beginning to stress about the transition, you can read the entire article here.

By now, every healthcare facility in the country should be aware that two major conversions are imminent. The transition to the 5010 electronic transaction standards must take place by January 1, 2012 and is the first required step in the transition to ICD-10. The transition to the ICD-10-CM (diagnosis) and ICD-10-PCS (hospital procedure) code sets must take place by October 1, 2013.

With the 5010 conversion looming more immediately on the horizon, attention understandably has been diverted away from ICD-10. Even in times of stretched resources, however, it’s important to try to tackle these transitions as concurrently as possible.

Fortunately, the bulk of the 5010 transition will be the responsibility of healthcare IT vendors such as clearinghouse, EHR, practice management, and other software product providers. It will be largely up to these vendors to make sure their products comply with the new data standards. However, it is up to physician practices to verify that their vendors are ready for the transition. Otherwise, practices risk claims rejections by insurance companies—and resulting cash flow interruptions. Read More ›

As is fairly typical, industry focus on Version 5010 of the electronic transaction standards has waned a bit as new rules and regulations steal the spotlight. But I’d like to urge you not to let your 5010 transition plans get waylaid by other priorities—January 1, 2012 is only slightly more than 14 months away. That’s not much time for a conversion of such far-reaching magnitude.

By this time, you should have a pretty thorough understanding of exactly what the 5010 transition will mean to your practice’s daily operations. But avoiding cash flow interruptions during—and immediately after—the transition to 5010 should remain a paramount concern. I recommend that practices take the following steps to minimize potential disruption: Read More ›

The new HIPAA electronic standard, 5010, update is something that will impact all healthcare entities, including physician practices, and as such, must be fully understood. The bottom line is this: if a practice’s HIT partners cannot handle 5010 transactions on January 1, 2012, its claims will be rejected by insurance carriers.

Join us on Tuesday, August 24 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, for a complimentary webinar: 5010 – Opportunity or Chaos?  Strategies to Survive the Transition. In under an hour, you’ll hear Ken Bradley, Vice President of Strategic Planning at Navicure, and Bryan Koch, Vice President of Strategic Services at Navicure, discuss what your practice needs to do in order to prepare for 5010, including:

• What 5010 is and who is affected
• The benefits of the new electronic standard
• Strategies to ensure a successful transition

Register now.

Human beings continually search for better, easier ways to get things done – in the field of healthcare and elsewhere. We’ve been advancing the concept of medical technology since the first x-ray was recognized as a useful diagnostic tool. From the simple electronic blood pressure cuffs now found in almost any grocery store to complex robotic arms used by skilled surgeons, we continue to see an explosion in medical automation.

And the upsurge isn’t limited to clinically-focused technology. It also encompasses software and systems that streamline front- and back-end operations, improving both patient flow and revenue cycle management. Read More ›