ATLANTA, Georgia, April 16, 2009 – The ramifications of poorly coded documentation can be severe for any doctor and particularly for chiropractors, affecting their compensation for services and raising the potential for legal or regulatory issues. Even so, many practitioners considering the implementation of electronic medical billing and record keeping at their clinics remain unaware that software solutions with on-board coding and compliance protection currently exist, according to Vais Salikhov, Chief Software Engineer at the Healthcare Division of ACOM Solutions, Inc.
“The name of the game is medical necessity, and chiropractors are an easy target,” Salikhov said. “Most are not well-schooled in coding and documenting medical necessity nor in the legalities of compliance, and both are fundamental to getting paid properly and ethically so as not to run afoul of professional and regulatory agencies. But in the absence of formal education in the use of CPT and ICD-9 codes, doctors can risk making unfounded judgments that can create problems for them.”
“Well-designed chiropractic software is no substitute for formal training, but it can provide doctors with a back-up resource that enforces concise coding and clarity of documentation, both of which assure better and more consistent compensation and alleviate compliance issues.”
ACOM’s RAPID Chiropractic Software accomplishes this by electronically linking the activities documented in examination and treatment rooms with the business activities of the front office, notably billing and collections, Salikhov said.
Reviewing the patient’s self-described condition, doctors perform a detailed exam guided by the tablet computer-resident software, noting each symptom by means of interactive graphical diagrams or check-lists. Each of these helpers is associated with structured and tested but customizable text that becomes part of the patient record. RAPID then links the treatments prescribed to the findings of the exam, forcing the validation of medical necessity. It provides a similar level of support throughout the recovery process and before claims are submitted, it automatically checks charges to assure that all services are accounted for and billed accurately.
“Not only does this help insulate the doctor from insurer and regulatory hassles, but it also has a positive effect,” Salikhov noted. “Checking the charges challenges the doctor to confirm that he/she has billed completely and accurately for all of the work performed and that it has been properly coded and documented.”
About ACOM Health Division
The ACOM Health Division serves chiropractic and the broader healthcare community with products and services that enhance efficiency, cut costs, increase revenues and propel practice success. ACOM’s RAPID software suite simplifies and speeds clinical notes and reporting while supporting compliance, collections and front office operations.
For more information:
-Call: 866-286-5315
-Email: rapidinfo@acom.com
-Visit: http://www.acomemr.com Contact Information
Medical Coding World 