medical records coding - what is record coding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every time a patient receives healthcare, a record is maintained of the observations, medical or surgical procedures, and treatment results.

This record includes information that the patient provides concerning the symptoms and medical history, the results of examinations, reports of x rays and laboratory tests, diagnoses, and treatment plans. Medical records and health information technicians organize and evaluate these records for completeness and accuracy.

The technicians start with the medical charts and ensure that all the forms are complete, identified and signed and fed into their history file. The communication with physicians or other healthcare professionals are regular to clarify the diagnoses or to obtain additional information. These Medical Records are assigned a code to each diagnosis and procedure. There are computer software’s which are used to assign the patient to one of the diagnosis-related groups or DRGs.

The DRG determines the amount for which the hospital will be reimbursed if the patient is covered by Medicare or other insurance programs using the DRG system.

These coders are called Health Information Coders or Medical Record Coders or Coding Specialists. There are programs where the data in the Medical Record is analyzed which aids in improving and controlling costs or utilized in legal actions or even for surveys which can be further used for research studies.

The Medical Records Coding covers the entire history; even the cause of the medical aid is required as this reflects tremendously on the claims. All the formalities are required to be met to avoid the problem of healthcare fraud and abuse. As the basis for reimbursement, appropriate medical records coding has become crucial as healthcare providers seek to assure compliance with official coding guidelines. Medical Records Coded data are also used internally by institutions for quality management activities, case-mix management, planning, marketing and other administrative and research activities.

 

 

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