Document Type

Research Project

Publication Date

Summer 7-9-2020

Abstract

Computer-assisted coding (CAC) has been around since the 1950s and is projecting to reach $4.75 Billion by 2022. However, it has not been on the hospitals’ priority list until 2014 before the implementation of ICD-10 in 2015. Computer-assisted coding is a technology software that helps streamline the coding workflow, reduce backlogs by increasing productivity, and help coders navigate through more extended, more complex charts more quickly. The technology is a type of artificial intelligence. The idea of computer-assisted became more front-line with the implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) and the demands of a more restrictive reimbursement from payers. Accuracy, consistency, and, most assuredly, productivity has been of great importance to all organizations. Due to the increase in advanced technologies, computer-assisted coding has advanced in its performance. However, the question remains as to if it has lived up to the recent hype before the implementation of ICD-10 to increase productivity, accuracy, consistency, improve clinical documentation, etc. This study was conducted using a questionnaire to survey the Tennessee Health Information Management (THIMA) community members as to the effectiveness of computer-assisted coding five years after the implementation of ICD-10. The results of the survey show that there are organizations that are still not using CAC. The overall perception of the respondents feel CAC is not a must-have technology to code efficiently but, with the CAC, the overall coding process is satisfactory but still needs improvement.

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