To help the healthcare industry address medical coder shortages in advance of the ICD-10 mandate, while preserving accurate revenue realization, M*Modal today announced the availability of comprehensive outpatient medical coding services. M*Modal’s technology-enabled services program combines coding experts with advanced cloud-based solutions to deliver quality results with fast-turn-around time, enabling organizations to offload high-volume outpatient coding, increase productivity and improve their cash flows.
Outpatient services is the fastest growing healthcare segment in terms of spending, according to the Health Care Cost Institute. Using AHIMA-certified coding experts, M*Modal’s outpatient coding program delivers high-quality, accurate coding for all outpatient areas, including Observation, Ambulatory Surgery, Emergency Department/Urgent Care, Specialty and Diagnostic.
“Qualified coding professionals are in short supply, and HIM departments face an ongoing challenge to stay ahead of coding and ICD-10 demands,” said Matt Jenkins, SVP and General Manager of HIM Services at M*Modal. “M*Modal’s outpatient coding services offer a cost-effective way for organizations to offload routine coding and move their existing coding resources onto critical inpatient and ICD-10 preparation programs.”
In a recent AHIMA and eHealth Initiative survey of healthcare providers, 50% identified lack of staff as a top concern to meet ICD-10 demands. ICD-10 is a revised standard that reflects a seven-fold increase in the number of potential code assignments. Many organizations lack the coding staff to manage their discharged not final billed (DNFB) coding requirements, as well as support the dual-coding and end-to-end testing programs needed to prepare for ICD-10’s rollout in October 2015.
M*Modal is one of the largest transcription and coding services providers in the U.S., providing credentialed coding resources to hospitals, clinics and practices for nearly 20 years. M*Modal offers essential coding services – including staffing, auditing and education – to hospitals looking outside their organization to manage resources. In addition, M*Modal’s cloud-based technology platform ensures a unified workflow for delivering high-quality, compliant documentation.
“Accurate billing begins with accurate and complete clinical documentation. By partnering with M*Modal for transcription, clinical documentation technology and coding services, HIM departments can optimize a unified workflow which yields superior physician satisfaction, more complete patient information and higher productivity from the revenue cycle process,” said Mr. Jenkins.
