Welcome 2019! For me, this time of year means mostly freezing temperatures and snow, but I have Scandinavian blood and remind myself it’s the life I choose. I live in […]

The medical record is unique because it is written for various reasons and looked at from various perspectives. It is not only a written representation of a face-to-face medical interaction […]

Through my work as an auditor and clinical documentation improvement consultant, I have seen firsthand how healthcare organizations are structured and operate. While every organization is unique, they all have […]

In today’s electronic world, is it possible to go completely paperless? Have you adapted to this new Jetsons-type world? Although it seems like yesterday, over a decade ago I managed […]

Today, while reading an article about some upcoming new ICD-10 codes, my mind drifted to the part of the world population at risk for exploitation.  In response to increasing violence […]

I have said it before—I am not a fan of the term “correct coding” because it can so easily be misconstrued as being about individual interpretations of correct and incorrect, […]

The problem list is well known to the medical coding industry since codes based on the problem list are used for research and reimbursement. With the advent of the patient […]

In late December 2017, I was asked by a colleague for my opinion on a customer’s inquiry about modifier 52 and its use in mammograms. CPT® modifier 52 represents a […]

When coders say “coding is an art,” they don’t mean art—they don’t imagine themselves creating little medical record haiku. Describing coding as an art is a way of saying that […]

Codes and coding are back in the headlines. A recent in-depth New York Times article examines the labyrinth of coding and billing, and asserts that coding is one reason for […]

I don’t know about you guys, but around this time of year, when it seems like spring will never come again, ever, the restless imp in my head starts questioning […]