That's why electronic coding is so important, as it enables physicians to stay informed about coding through electronic billing and instant feedback of acceptance or denial. It enables them to adapt quickly to changes made by payors, and to ensure appropriate coding and documentation to support the code.


Providing Help
There are numerous coding and billing software programs available, some work better for particular modalities and some are designed with specialties in mind. Most software allows physicians to comply with stringent, time consuming federal mandates for medical documentation while dramatically increasing collections and cutting administrative costs. Hospitals and physician groups can replace written charts as well as dictation and transcription, eliminating errors associated with coding medical encounters.

"The standard approach in an office, or facility of any type, is services are rendered and most of the time it's done on paper and it translates into a superbill and you circle on the superbill the procedures you did or the coding you think you should get reimbursed for. Those codes usually require a diagnosis code to support them, so you circle those. That's the way you do billing with coding," explains Andrew Muchmore, Chief Technology Officer of CodoniX notes, which provides complete practice management, coding and electronic medical record system software for emergency departments, urgent care facilities and physician practices. "We try to make it completely transparent to the user so that it's done automatically in the background."

It's complicated enough even if you know the coding system. It's almost impossible to do in your head in real time.

"A review of systems is one of the things the software does," Muchmore continues. "Does your chest hurt? Head hurt? You have to keep track of everything you ask. The highest level of a visit you have to have 10 of these things. We try to automate all of this. It's done in the background with the assumption that most people realize they don't. The idea is that the person doesn't have to go and figure it out. It's an attempt to take the coding out of the realm of coders and into the realm of physician."

Scott Anderson, Director of Business Development for Capital Healthcare Solutions, LLC. In St. Petersburg provide software that deals in codes and reimbursements strictly for cardiologists.

"There is a lot of diagnostic testing done with cardiologists. The patient comes in and the cardiologist needs some sort of test on how to treat the patient-an ultrasound or other diagnostic test-and each thing they do has different codes depending on the patient. Our software helps them with that and lets them know upfront if the test will be paid for," says Anderson. "This is a valuable resource that manages Dx workflow, reduces report turn around time, and drastically improves the productivity and billable work product of a diagnostic clinic."

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