Preparing HIM Students for ICD-10
The ICD-10-CM/PCS final rule requires a major transition in academic programs as well as in the field. Institutions currently teaching ICD-9-CM in baccalaureate, associate, and certificate programs must transition their curricula to ICD-10-CM/PCS in coordination with the industry’s transition to the new coding systems. Educators will be among the first in the country who need to learn ICD-10-CM/PCS.
The April practice brief “Transitioning to ICD-10-CM/PCS—An Academic Timeline” outlines how and when HIM academic programs should begin integrating ICD-10-CM/PCS education into their curriculum. The article lays out the academic transition into three phases: preparation, hybrid, and full implementation. The countdown to integrating ICD-10-CM/PCS begins on August 1, 2010, when educators should start expanding curriculum content on courses affected by ICD-10-CM/PCS changes. (more…)


