‘Connecting the Dots’ from Clinical to Coding

The very first MedLearn product — and still our best-seller after more than 30 years — is Interventional Radiology Coder. Over the course of three decades, we’ve built on the success and popularity of this book by developing additional IR how-to resources, including several webcasts, coding charts and a second book, Essentials of Interventional Radiology Coding.

We believe MedLearn Publishing IR resources are “best in breed,” and many of our customers have told us the same thing. In addition, we’ve sought the opinions of top IR coding, billing and compliance experts — specifically, individuals who’ve used our IR resources in their consulting and teaching work.

Summary of Industry Expert Reviews…

The main value proposition: MedLearn Publishing’s IR resources help coders “connect the dots” — in other words, bridge the gap between clinical practice and the correct code assignments.

Why our resources are so uniquely effective: They’re concise and easily digestible, with content organized by service lines that enables users to efficiently zero in on the answers they need. Also, MedLearn is a real-world storyteller, using sample reports to drive home correct coding and billing practices. These examples describe frequently encountered and universal challenges — scenarios that customers can apply in their day-to-day work.

Example of value to team members: One common example is angiogram of the abdomen, which can be coded a number of different ways, depending on an individual’s anatomy, pathology and condition. Crucial coding decisions must be made (e.g., use of bundled codes vs. separately reportable services). Making the wrong choice or relying on the order entry system to “select” the code can expose the facility to the risk of audits, revenue loss or claim denials. MedLearn helps mitigate these risks by guiding team members seamlessly from clinical documentation to the correct codes.

How our resources compare to those available from the AMA, CMS, and other sources: One big advantage of MedLearn Publishing IR resources is how easy they are to navigate, in contrast with official sources that require a lot of time-consuming searching through massive volumes just to find one answer. In addition, users don’t have to struggle with the bureaucratic language contained in official sources; MedLearn resources explain complex topics in a clear, concise, user-friendly manner. Lastly, MedLearn does a better job of helping users keep their coding and billing aligned with current clinical practices — which are often three to four years ahead of official sources.

Benefits for new team members With high turnover and staff shortages, it’s more important than ever to get new team members up to speed as quickly as possible. MedLearn Publishing IR resources offer a proven way to shorten the learning curve, empowering new team members to perform proficiently and confidently in less time. With these resources, new staff also learn how to work collaboratively with their clinical and billing colleagues.

Benefits for more experienced staff: These resources can help seasoned individuals become better versions of themselves, deepening and extending their knowledge. Ultimately, they perform their jobs with greater effectiveness and with less risk to the organization.

Importance of using the most current resources: Continuous advances in medicine, as well as changes from payers and regulators, mean that coding and billing are constantly evolving. Even when the changes seem subtle or relatively minor, they can have huge compliance or revenue implications. For example, one small coding error resulting from outdated information can be very costly when repeated over and over.

Click here for detailed information about the full line-up of MedLearn Publishing IR resources.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Bill Johnson

Bill Johnson is a writer specializing in healthcare marketing and communications. During his career of more than 40 years, he has worked for clients in a variety of healthcare sectors, including information technology, publishing, audiology and dentistry. Since 1998, Bill has served as a writer and editor for MedLearn Publishing.

Related Stories

Leave a Reply

Please log in to your account to comment on this article.

Featured Webcasts

Enhancing Outcomes with CDI-Coding-Quality Collaboration in Acute Care Hospitals

Enhancing Outcomes with CDI-Coding-Quality Collaboration in Acute Care Hospitals

Join Angela Comfort, DBA, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, as she presents effective strategies to strengthen collaboration between CDI, coding, and quality departments in acute care hospitals. Angela will also share guidance on implementing cross-departmental meetings, using shared KPIs, and engaging leadership to foster a culture of collaboration. Attendees will gain actionable tools to optimize documentation accuracy, elevate quality metrics, and drive a unified approach to healthcare goals, ultimately enhancing both patient outcomes and organizational performance.

November 21, 2024
Comprehensive Inpatient Clinical Documentation Integrity: From Foundations to Advanced Strategies

Comprehensive Outpatient Clinical Documentation Integrity: From Foundations to Advanced Strategies

Optimize your outpatient clinical documentation and gain comprehensive knowledge from foundational practices to advanced technologies, ensuring improved patient care and organizational and financial success. This webcast bundle provides a holistic approach to outpatient CDI, empowering you to implement best practices from the ground up and leverage advanced strategies for superior results. You will gain actionable insights to improve documentation quality, patient care, compliance, and financial outcomes.

September 5, 2024
Advanced Outpatient Clinical Documentation Integrity: Mastering Complex Narratives and Compliance

Advanced Outpatient Clinical Documentation Integrity: Mastering Complex Narratives and Compliance

Enhancing outpatient clinical documentation is crucial for maintaining accuracy, compliance, and proper reimbursement in today’s complex healthcare environment. This webcast, presented by industry expert Angela Comfort, DBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, will provide you with actionable strategies to tackle complex challenges in outpatient documentation. You’ll learn how to craft detailed clinical narratives, utilize advanced EHR features, and implement accurate risk adjustment and HCC coding. The session also covers essential regulatory updates to keep your documentation practices compliant. Join us to gain the tools you need to improve documentation quality, support better patient care, and ensure financial integrity.

September 12, 2024

Trending News

Featured Webcasts

Patient Notifications and Rights: What You Need to Know

Patient Notifications and Rights: What You Need to Know

Dr. Ronald Hirsch provides critical details on the new Medicare Appeal Process for Status Changes for patients whose status changes during their hospital stay. He also delves into other scenarios of hospital patients receiving custodial care or medically unnecessary services where patient notifications may be needed along with the processes necessary to ensure compliance with state and federal guidance.

December 5, 2024
Navigating the No Surprises Act & Price Transparency: Essential Insights for Compliance

Navigating the No Surprises Act & Price Transparency: Essential Insights for Compliance

Healthcare organizations face complex regulatory requirements under the No Surprises Act and Price Transparency rules. These policies mandate extensive fee disclosures across settings, and confusion is widespread—many hospitals remain unaware they must post every contracted rate. Non-compliance could lead to costly penalties, financial loss, and legal risks.  Join David M. Glaser Esq. as he shows you how to navigate these regulations effectively.

November 19, 2024
Post Operative Pain Blocks: Guidelines, Documentation, and Billing to Protect Your Facility

Post Operative Pain Blocks: Guidelines, Documentation, and Billing to Protect Your Facility

Protect your facility from unwanted audits! Join Becky Jacobsen, BSN, RN, MBS, CCS-P, CPC, CPEDC, CBCS, CEMC, and take a deep dive into both the CMS and AMA guidelines for reporting post operative pain blocks. You’ll learn how to determine if the nerve block is separately codable with real life examples for better understanding. Becky will also cover how to evaluate whether documentation supports medical necessity, offer recommendations for stronger documentation practices, and provide guidance on educating providers about documentation requirements. She’ll include a discussion of appropriate modifier and diagnosis coding assignment so that you can be confident that your billing of post operative pain blocks is fully supported and compliant.

October 24, 2024
The OIG Update: Targets and Tools to Stay in Compliance

The OIG Update: Targets and Tools to Stay in Compliance

During this RACmonitor webcast Dr. Ronald Hirsch spotlights the areas of the OIG’s Work Plan and the findings of their most recent audits that impact utilization review, case management, and audit staff. He also provides his common-sense interpretation of the prevailing regulations related to those target issues. You’ll walk away better equipped with strategies to put in place immediately to reduce your risk of paybacks, increased scrutiny, and criminal penalties.

September 19, 2024

Trending News