List of Actions Health Care Providers Can Take NOW to Prepare for the ICD-10 Transition

As Apex3 is working with several strategic partners to bring our IT expertise to the health care community, this blog will, from time to time, devote space to the ICD-10 transition.  Here’s a list of important actions health care providers should be taking now, with an eye to the transition looming in October 2013…

• Form executive steering committee and set expectations for transition requirements

• Create a governance structure for the ICD‐10 program

• Perform an impact assessment and identify potential changes to existing work flow and business processes (6 months)

• Collect information from each department staff members who will need ICD-10 training

• Evaluate the effect of ICD-10 on other planned or on-going projects (e.g., 5010 transition, EHR adoption and Meaningful Use)

• Determine the business and technical implementation strategy 

• Estimate costs associated with the implementation, such as software, hardware, and staff training 

• Evaluate contracts and contact vendors, clearinghouses, and billing services to understand their readiness and plans

• Determine anticipated testing time and include in the transition schedule