Tip: Evaluate CAC and software expenses

CAC “reads” charts to identify diagnoses and/or ­procedures that have the potential to be coded. “That saves us the detailed job of reading every word in the ­medical ­record,” Bryant says. “Not only does it help identify ­potential diagnoses that we would want to capture, but CAC also provides you with particular potential code(s) that are ready for validation.”

 

This shortens the time coders need to code a record, which can help you reduce overtime costs and days in accounts receivable. CAC can also yield ­higher quality and accuracy because the system reads ­every character. People may accidentally skip over pertinent information or be interrupted and inadvertently miss capturing a diagnosis. For example, CAC coding for ancillary services (e.g., radiology, CT scans, or MRI) can achieve 97% accuracy through automation, Bryant says.

 

CAC is not intended to replace coders, Bryant says, particularly in the inpatient arena. "You still have to have a validation process," she says.

 

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from October issue of Medical Records Briefing.