News: Coding productivity declined 30% from ICD-9 to ICD-10, survey says

A recent coding productivity survey conducted by ACDIS’ parent company, HCPro, had some positive findings:

• Under ICD-9, the average inpatient coding productivity was 3–3.5 records per hour; under ICD-10, the average inpatient coding productivity is 1–4 records per hour; approximately a 30% decline.
• In other record types, the survey showed the loss in productivity has not been as significant.
• Assuming no weighting of the record types, the increase in time for reporting ICD-10 over ICD-9 is 25.9%. However, when you look at the various record types, there are wide swings in the number of minutes it takes a coder to review the record and assign a set of codes.

The predicted productivity loss around the time of ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation was 50%. Studies that occurred prior to or shortly after ICD-10’s effective date demonstrated mid-40% productivity loss for those record types typically coded in an acute care facility. So a 30% reduction could be seen as good news.

The wide variability in the time it takes to review the record an assign a code may be due to a number of factors such as the use of practice-specific electronic health records with patient population–specific diagnosis lists, computer-assisted coding, and even CDI efforts, reported JustCoding.

Nearly 45% of the respondents shared that coders code either inpatient or outpatient; however, the remaining 55% either routinely code both types or pinch-hit in coding other record types.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in JustCoding. That article was adapted from an excerpt of JustCoding's Practical Guide to Coding Management, Second Edition, by Rose T. Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, FACHE, FHFMA, CHPS.