Opposition remains high for ICD-10, and some opponents of the upgraded procedural terminology system have suggested foregoing the code set for the Systemized Nomenclature of Medicine's Clinical Terms, according to ICD-10 Watch.
However, SNOMED-CT may not be a viable substitute, according to the report. The system was created by the College of American Pathologists for electronic health records and is now owned and maintained by the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization.
SNOMED-CT is a terminology system designed for input, while ICD is a classification for output. SNOMED-CT is also meant to be managed by a computer; it's a database with complex relationships and concepts, rather than a list of numbers and corresponding terms. While physicians will need to learn to communicate with EHRs that are based on SNOMED-CT, they will also need to report the data collected by the computer program with a classification system, such as ICD-10.
ICD-10 codes aren't the problem, according to the report. It's the specificity of documentation that will be the challenge, regardless of what system is used.
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However, SNOMED-CT may not be a viable substitute, according to the report. The system was created by the College of American Pathologists for electronic health records and is now owned and maintained by the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization.
SNOMED-CT is a terminology system designed for input, while ICD is a classification for output. SNOMED-CT is also meant to be managed by a computer; it's a database with complex relationships and concepts, rather than a list of numbers and corresponding terms. While physicians will need to learn to communicate with EHRs that are based on SNOMED-CT, they will also need to report the data collected by the computer program with a classification system, such as ICD-10.
ICD-10 codes aren't the problem, according to the report. It's the specificity of documentation that will be the challenge, regardless of what system is used.
More Articles on Coding, Billing and Collections:
Kareo Launches Free EMR Software For Improved Billing, Patient Interaction
Medicaid Expansion: A State-by-State Layout
Surgical Notes to Attend 2013 ASCA Conference