Do you recall the year 1999, or as it became known "Y2K"? People were nervous, scared, and a little irrational with their fears towards the turn of the millennium. I have often reflected back on 1999 as I participate in conversations surrounding the October 1st ICD-10 deadline.
The fears that people have expressed have been, well...somewhat irrational. For the most part, healthcare professionals have created an ICD-10 readiness plan. The eBook "The Definitive Guide to ICD-10" has helped many nationwide develop and implement or even reinforce their current ICD-10 transition plan. The supplemental "12 step guide infographic" has attempted to break the plan down into bite size chunks for healthcare professionals. Most of the healthcare professionals we speak with today have a solid plan. Most have reconfigured their systems to support the new requirements. Their IT transition appears to be on point. Many organizations have either already certified their own coders in ICD-10 or they have taken steps to outsource their medical coding to companies like Aviacode who have access to thousands of certified ICD-10 coders. Most, if not all, have set aside budget to accommodate some of the “unknowns” as we approach the ICD-10 deadline. So, is there really any reason to reach for the panic button?
