The Healthcare Industry’s Unrecognized Cancer

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

The Untreated Cancer of Health Informatics Leads to Painful and Unrestrained Growth

By D. Kellus Pruitt DDS

A few days ago, Daniel Palestrant MD, Founder of par8o & SERMO, compared the American healthcare system to a patient with cancer.

The clinically blunt article includes a graphic photo of a fresh tumor the size of a cantaloupe, labeled “AMA.” It is appropriately titled, “I Know Cancer When I See It.”

I believe him. What’s more, Dr. Palestrant shows no respect for cancerous growth in healthcare. That’s Hippocratic cool.

http://par8o.com/wordpress/i-know-cancer-when-i-see-it/

I think we all know which presidential candidate’s think tank is to blame for selfishly stimulating metastasis of their harmful information. Like the American Medical Association, the ADA unwittingly developed informatics cancer years ago. Now, a similar, energy-sapping tumor is becoming increasingly difficult for stoic ADA officials to quietly schlepp around.

My Dental Analogy

If one replaces every mention of “AMA” in Dr. Palestrant’s excerpt below with “ADA,” every “CPT® code” with “CDT® code” and every “physician” with “dentist,” his analogy becomes strikingly similar to one I wore out long ago, but without an ugly photo (My apology to Dr. Palestrant):

1. Divert resources – The ADA’s CDT system creates a maze of payment infrastructure and rules that diverts resources to administration and makes transparency impossible.

2. Fool the immune system – The ADA has fooled the American public into believing they represent the opinion of America’s dentists.

3. Self perpetuate – Like a cancer, the ADA perpetuates itself through special interest lobbying, and most importantly, by updating the CDT codes as frequently as possible and forcing the entire dentalcare system to use them.

Assessment

If it weren’t for CDT® copyright royalties, ADA members’ dues would double – undoubtedly causing members to naturally demand better accountability to their patients’ welfare instead of HIT goals even Newt Gingrich abandoned a few months ago.

He’s a smart politician – arguably smarter than dentistry’s embarrassed leaders who own autographed photos of him.

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In Defense of the eDR Industry

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

One Dentist Consultant’s Opinion

By Paul L. Child Jr, DMD, CDT
CR Foundation
3707 North Canyon Road, Building 7
Provo, UT 84604

Three days ago, I shared the email I sent to Dr. Paul Child and Kathleen Noll concerning their claims that electronic dental records offer dentists a return on investment (ROI). Dr. Child responded yesterday.

Darrell K. Pruitt DDS

———————————————

Dear Dr. Pruitt,

Thank you for your recent communication and questions regarding my recent article in Dental Economics, specifically your question: Does the ROI for Practice Management systems include the cost of HIPPA compliancy?

In regards to your communications with QSI, I cannot comment as I do not represent them. Unfortunately, I too am not able to give you the “proof” you are seeking, as I do not have a specific chart nor do I plan on fabricating one to “prove” the efficacy of computers in the dental office (although a controlled study would be interesting, I’m not sure it would be an effective use of funds to prove something that is already proven in every other industry).

However, I will provide you with information from thousands of our readers at CR as well as many more in our lectures worldwide.

The section of the article to which you are referring is under the title of: Practice and patient records management and patient education. Specifically, the paragraph states:

“Implementation of computers into each operatory and throughout the practice is the first and most frequent adoption of digital dentistry. In North America and most developed countries, this has reached the “early majority” stage as all of the criteria for being an advantage have been met. Dentists who have not yet adopted this prerequisite for digital dentistry should do so now! Daily advances and improved software adapted from other industries allow this technology to be affordable, attain the fastest adop¬tion rate, and offer a high return on investment. Current and highly effective systems include Eaglesoft (Patterson), Dentrix (Schein), PracticeWorks (Carestream Dental), and Web-based software such as Curve Dental” (underlines added for emphasis).

Please note that the sentence in which “high return on investment” is mentioned is referring to “advances and improved software adapted from other industries”. As such, other industries (too many to count) have proved without a doubt, the massive improvement in return on investment in the following areas: improved efficiency (eg. Legible records vs. scribbles, or worse off, incomplete records), improved accuracy of records, use of computers for rapid recollection of stored data, rapid recording of data, time savings, standardization, and many more. A brief look at the medical industry and literature (our closest industry – of which we are a part of) can demonstrate the above. In addition, the observations I made are directed to the use of computers in a practice.

Finally, proper implementation of practice and patient management systems can easily improve ROI, via better record taking, accurate financial statements that can be easily generated daily for better practice management, treatment planning with all options, benefits, and risks recorded – then printed for the patient, and most of all – time savings. What is a dentists time worth? My time is priceless (as is most dentists I know). Yes, there are clearly unknown aspects of this digital transformation from paper to digital. Government and controlling organizations may make new rules and regulations that can positively or negatively affect this process.

But, from our observations of thousands of other dentists that have made this transition, very few – if any, would even think about reverting back to paper.

To your question regarding HIPPA compliance, YES, the overall ROI would include even this. HIPPA compliance is still relatively new to many dentists, even though it has existed for years. This compliance in important for all the reasons you already know. As dentistry evolves and new technologies are introduced (and ruling bodies continue to make new rules and regulations), this digital evolution will continue to prove itself an EXCELLENT ROI for today’s and tomorrow’s dentists.

Best regards,

Paul L. Child Jr., DMD, CDT

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About the CDT Health Privacy Project

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Survey of Concerns about Health 2.0 and HIPAA

By Staff Reporters 

The Center for Democracy and Technology is a non-profit public interest organization working to keep the Internet open, innovative, and free.

A Civil Liberties Group

As a civil liberties group with expertise in law, technology, and policy, CDT works to enhance free expression and privacy in communications technologies by finding practical and innovative solutions to public policy challenges while protecting civil liberties.

Assessment

The CDT is dedicated to building consensus among all parties interested in the future of the Internet and other new communications media. 

http://cdt.org/about

Health 2.0 / HIPAA Survey

Submit your questions on Health 2.0 / HIPAA here:

Link: http://cdt.org/blogs/cdt/submit-questions-health-20hipaa

Deven McGraw is Director of the Health Privacy Project for the CDT.

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Understanding Medical Billing Methodologies

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

The Cash Conversion Cycle

[By Staff Reporters]

Most patients and financial advisors don’t have a clue about how doctor’s get paid in our current system; but it’s not by magic. Yet, a number of different steps occur during the processing of a medical claim that can be seen in a flow chart. Each step in the process can be mapped out and each is subject to claim payment-or-claim rejection. A payment time line for a typical FFS or PPO can also be subjected to a number of variables, depending on different factors including staff competency, time, outside vendors, information management, management decisions in general, or regulatory requirements. The total transit times may take weeks for electronic claims or up to two-years for some paper based claims.

First Make the Diagnosis

• ICD-9 alpha numeric code for disease classes, not billing.

• HHS offers ICD-9 [CM] for MDs and facilities.

• WHO-1900, updated every 3-10 years, e-ICD-10 [2013].

• Diagnostic Statistical Manual Mental Disorders, 4th Edition [DSM-IV].

Then Select the Current Procedure Terminology® Code

Medical, surgical and diagnostic task & service billing code numbers [5-digit] of AMA used by payers:

• Thousands updated annually

• Secretive with registered mark ®

• Office Visits: [brief, inter, extended, etc]

• # 99214 physical exam

• # 90658 H1N1 flu shot

• # 12002 one-inch laceration suture

• CDT® and HCPCS codes, too!

Document the Visit in Patient Progress Notes

Subjective:

“I was gardening and noticed my wrist was swollen and itched like crazy”

Objective:

A 4 inch linear red rash with circular oozing papules and swollen skin is present. Patient is wearing a small tennis bracelet which was tight.

Assessment:

Rule out rues dermatitidis versus nickel allergy.

Plan:

Soap soaks, with OTC calamine lotion with Rx oral diphenhydramine or [benadryl].

Submit the “Super Bill”

Not a “big bill” or expensive medical invoice; just an invoice

• Official standard billing form used by doctors submitting MC/MD claims.

• Also used by some private insurers and managed care plans.

• Contains patient demographics, diagnostic codes, CPT®, HCPC codes, etc.

• Generic billing form, like the generic HCFA 1500 claim form.

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Medical Coding and Billing Vocabulary

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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Basic HIT Nomenclature and HIPAA

[By Richard J. Mata; MD, MIS, CMP™ [Hon]

For the Health Information Technology [HIT] department of a hospital, clinic or medical practice and its coders, the following medical vocabularies are mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA].

Diseases 

For diseases: the 9th or 10th International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Clinical Modification should be used.  ICD9-CM is maintained by the Centers for Disease Control National Center for Health Statistics, while ICD-10 is maintained by the World Health Organization.

Procedures

For medical procedures: a combination of ICD-9-CM, Current Procedural Terminology maintained by the American Medical Association, the Current Dental Terminology maintained by the American Dental Association, and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) maintained by CMS, which is also used for medical devices.

Pharmaceuticals

For drugs: these should be coded according to their National Drug Code classification.

Assessment

“A recent change to Medicare policy made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) helps ensure claims processing isn’t delayed when the only missing information on the CMS-1490S form is the provider or supplier’s National Provider Identifier (NPI).

CMS Transmittal 1747, Change Request 6434, issued May 22, notifies A/B Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) and carriers of editorial changes to Medicare policy in Pub. 100-04, Medicare Claims Processing Manual, chapter 1 regarding the monitoring of claims submission violations and the handling of incomplete or invalid claims.

In either case, as stated in the transmittal, “If the beneficiary furnishes all other information but fails to supply the provider or supplier’s NPI, the contractor shall not return the claim but rather look up the provider or supplier’s NPI using the NPI registry.”

http://www.aapc.com/news/index.php/2009/06/missing-npi-no-reason-to-deny-says-cms/

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Defining Current Dental Terminology [CDT®] Codes

Posted on April 5, 2009 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

What they Are – How they Work

By Staff Reportersdhimc-book1

OMAP Unique Procedure Codes*

The HHS [Health and Human Services] Office of Medical Assistance Program’s [OMAP] unique procedure codes were originally listed in the appropriate service guides. The maintenance of these codes was the responsibility of OMAP. These procedure codes were reviewed as needed and deleted either when a program no longer exists or when other Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System [HCPCS] codes are created which fully describe the service. Most of the unique codes were created to meet the needs of specialized services or programs. OMAP’s unique procedure codes were all five character configurations with the following alpha/numeric combinations: four numeric/one alpha (e.g., 7300Y); three numeric, two alpha (e.g., 206EP); two alpha/three numeric (e.g., BA311); or three alpha/two numeric (e.g., VIS01).

Current Dental Terminology (CDT procedure codes)

The American Dental Association’s (ADA) Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature is contained in the CDT-3 user guide. The maintenance of these codes is the responsibility of the Council on Dental Benefit Programs with consultation from: Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the Health Insurance Association of America, the Health Care Financing Association, National Electronic Information Corporation, and the American Dental Association recognized dental specialty organizations. The ADA updates the user guide approximately every five years. CDT codes are five-character, alpha-numeric configurations (e.g., D2110). Contact the American Dental Association to obtain a current copy of the CDT-3 Users Manual.

* Note: Due to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requirements, Medicare Local codes and OMAP Unique codes were replaced with national standard procedure codes. 

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ho-journal8

Assessment

For more terminology information, please refer to the Dictionary of Health Economics and Finance.

www.HealthDictionarySeries.com

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