Category: news

Wayne, PA and Alpharetta, GA Aug 30, 2012 — Precyse, a leader in Health Information Management (HIM) technology and services, announces that Cheryl Robbins, RHIT,CCS, Precyse director of remote coding operations, will participate as an expert panelist in the Neonatal/Pediatric workgroup on the ICD-10-CM/PCS conversion of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Quality Indicators(QI)™. The research team at University of California Davis, under a federal contract with AHRQ, has the lead role for the conversion process.
These workgroups are being formed as part of a structured approach for converting the existing QI specifications from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM/PCS, incorporating coding expertise, clinical expertise and health services research/quality measurement expertise. The workgroups will evaluate the results of automated “code mapping” from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM/PCS, providing input and advice regarding similarities and differences between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM/PCS codes that are mapped to each other. This workgroup process will lead to recommendations regarding how the existing AHRQ QIs should be re-specified using ICD-10-CM/PCS codes, retaining the original clinical intent of each indicator while taking advantage of the greater specificity of ICD-10-CM/PCS to improve the indicator’s validity.
“I am so honored to participate as a panelist on this ICD-10 workgroup,” said Robbins. “I am excited and ready to contribute my expertise on behalf of the Precyse team, and I am looking forward to making a difference in this thought-leading group.”
Robbins was selected due to her knowledge of health care quality measurement using administrative data in specific, relevant clinical domains, as well as her expertise in ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM/PCS coding; hospital quality improvement, patient safety and clinical documentation improvement; and her familiarity with the AHRQ Quality Indicators and their application.

Wayne, PA and Alpharetta, GA Aug 29, 2012 — Precyse, a leader in health information management (HIM) technologies and services, leading up to the AHIMA 2012 Annual Conference and Exposition, released the following open letter from Chris Powell, president of Precyse, to all healthcare colleagues regarding the announced ICD-10 final rule. The open letter, answering a critical question at this hour: “How do we reinvigorate our planned ICD-10 implementation roadmaps?” is available below. AHIMA attendees are encouraged to visit Precyse at Booth #236 to continue the ICD-10 conversation.
Healthcare Colleagues,
On August 24, the CMS published a rule finalizing the compliance deadline for converting to the ICD-10 system of diagnostic and procedural coding to Oct. 1, 2014 from Oct. 1, 2013. HHS said the extra time would allow healthcare organizations – especially small organizations – adequate time to get prepare for the changeover.
“By delaying the compliance date of ICD-10 from October 1, 2013, to October 1, 2014, we are allowing more time for covered entities to prepare for the transition to ICD-10 and to conduct thorough testing,” HHS said in the rule. “By allowing more time to prepare, covered entities may be able to avoid costly obstacles that would otherwise emerge while in production.”
Precyse has not stopped preparing for the implementation of the new coding rules and stands ready to support and meet the needs of nearly 1,000 clients – many who rely on our management, staffing and technology solutions – through their training and implementation process. Because Precyse not only supports, but actually operates, entire HIM and coding departments for some of these clients, here are our recommendations:
1. Documentation. Increase your clinical documentation training programs for physicians and other caregivers. You should develop processes, guidance and support for improved clinical documentation under ICD-10. Improved documentation skills – even minor changes such as more specificity in their notes – create obvious financial and non-financial rewards: fewer claims denials, reduced RAC audit exposure, improved case mix index, and improved cash flows. Most important for all of us, patient care is improved when downstream clinicians can review more complete chart notes and better data is available for analytics and comparative studies. Target high volume specialties in your organization most impacted by ICD-10 and train these specialists in proper documentation while training the coding team on accurate coding; then, move to the next specialty for training.
2. Training and Development. Act now to invest in the training of your coders AND those who will use
the data. Improve the basic skills of your coders in ICD-9 areas that will also be required in ICD-10. The transition to ICD-10 has pushed healthcare to appropriately invest in training our coders as skilled knowledge workers. As part of our own ICD-10 preparations, Precyse assessed the coding skills of nearly 300 coders on our staff to evaluate their ICD-10 readiness. We found additional training needs related to anatomy, physiology and pathopharmacology, as well as opportunities to improve their understanding of coding system logic and principles. So Precyse invested in and developed a comprehensive and multifaceted training program that can be delivered via virtual webinars and our online Precyse University, while developing individual training plans for every coder. This investment has paid off for Precyse clients handsomely, yielding a better case mix index for hospitals, improved coding compliance audit results, increased coder retention, and attracting new coder recruits who are eager to develop and perfect their skills. So we recommend that you perform side-by-side ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding, assessing the documentation and coding gaps and target training based on these findings.
3. Build a strong foundation for process improvement. Assess the flow of your information across your organization and develop a plan to address gaps through process improvement and technology. Invest in automated systems that streamline the entire clinical documentation process. ICD-10 was never just about re-training medical coders–it was and is about having better data about patients and their treatments, affording vast opportunities for improvement in how data are captured and processed. This leads to a more complete and useful set of codes, which is crucial in a fully automated electronic medical record environment. Today, inefficient, labor-intensive workflows abound, whether involving clinical information inputs such as dictation and transcription; service approvals, coding, physician queries, and other myriad facets involved in billing for services; or abstracting and analyzing quality indicators to improve patient care. We also recognize the promise of future innovations such as automated speech recognition, Computer Assisted Coding using Natural Language Comprehension™ (NLC), and clinical decision support tools – but know that realizing their full promise tomorrow requires that we improve how current users interact with and use their systems today. Those of us in the health care information management/information technology community must use our skills to innovate for clinicians. We must develop workflow platforms and applications that allow health care providers to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. We do not want to add more time and complexity to an already burdensome process.
At Precyse, our vision is a world in which meaningful information is available, whenever and wherever needed, and this information helps save time, money and lives. We are an innovation company that listens carefully to our clients and prospects; every day we challenge ourselves to come back to these clients with solutions that solve their business problems while improving patient care and outcomes. We pledge to our clients and future prospects that we will never stop innovating in the midst of very challenging times.

Wayne, PA and Alpharetta, GA Aug 2, 2012 — Precyse, a leader in health information management (HIM) technologies and services, announces the appointment of three industry leaders to influential positions targeted at supporting clients with their ICD-10 strategies and beyond. James H. Crook, Jr., a veteran of the healthcare software and services industry, has been appointed to the Precyse Advisory Council (PAC). Chris Skiffington, a proven leader in healthcare technology sales, has joined Precyse as Senior Vice President and
National Sales Manager. Debra Stenner, a market-winning healthcare IT product development and strategy expert, has joined the company as Vice President of Business Planning and Product Strategy.
Crook brings more than 30 years of experience to the Precyse Advisory Council, which functions as a source of high-level input and advice on the strategic positioning and expansion of Precyse’s service and technology offerings. The PAC also serves as a conduit for new business opportunities because of the extensive experience and networks developed by each of the council members.
“We are delighted to welcome Jim to the Precyse Advisory Council,” said Precyse CEO Jeffrey Levitt. “His deep healthcare IT experience will provide an invaluable contribution as Precyse strives to offer the HIM industry the technology necessary for the completion of strategic initiatives such as EHR, Meaningful Use, ICD-10 and other initiatives.”
As Senior Vice President and National Sales Manager, Chris Skiffington will lead the Precyse sales organization as it focuses on existing and new client sales, as well as a solution expertise. A member of the Precyse Executive Leadership Team, Skiffington will report directly to Chris Powell, president, and will be based in the company’s corporate office in Wayne.
“Chris brings tremendous expertise in healthcare, technology and sales management to his role,” said Powell. “His background in enterprise selling is well-positioned to ensure that Precyse is front and center nationally.”
In her role as Vice President of Business Planning and Product Strategy, Debra Stenner will lead Precyse’s strategic product management functions.
“Debra’s role is fundamental to our success as a true innovation company,” said Powell. “She is committed to working with our hospital and physician practice clients to find innovative ways to improve productivity, quality and accuracy, streamline processes and increase revenue.”
James H. Crook, Jr., Precyse Advisory Council Member
Crook recently retired as Chief Executive Officer of IDX Systems Corporation, a leading provider of software and services to the healthcare industry. He was responsible for all aspects of the IDX business, including overseeing relationships with customers at over 3,400 healthcare organizations and 2,400 employees working in 10 locations throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. Crook had previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of IDX, during which time he oversaw the restructuring of the company and the implementation of a newly aligned Operating Unit model. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in Administrative Science from Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
Chris Skiffington, Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager, Precyse
Prior to joining Precyse, Skiffington led the Southeast Zone for GE Healthcare HCIT division and was responsible for the P&L’s performance across the portfolio in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. Prior to that, Skiffington was employed for 10 years at IBM, where he was responsible for leading and managing a 162-person, $500 million sales business and achieved award-winning sales performance year after year. He also had served as the Regional Sales Manager and Senior Sales Professional, as well as a Software Account Manager. Skiffington holds an MBA from Boston College and a bachelor of science degree in business management from Westfield State University.
Debra Stenner, Vice President of Business Planning and Product Strategy, Precyse
Stenner has more than 25 years of industry experience. She most recently was principal of Four Winds Consulting, where she aided clients in establishing go-forward product strategies and new product commercialization. She previously was vice president of business planning and product strategy, Imagecast Division, for IDX Systems Corp. She also served as a member of the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative, a joint initiative of the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) and the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS). A graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Platteville, Stenner holds a BS in medical technology. She continues to publish healthcare technology and life sciences articles and to present at a variety of industry events.