medical coding apps for iphone and ipad

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Medical Coding Apps For The iPhone and iPad November 2011

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Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad is a concise summary of medical documentation and coding apps that are appropriate for health care providers that are available for the iPhone and iPad. For health care professionals, browsing the iTunes App Store to find suitable medical apps is a bit like searching for the proverbial needle in a hay stack. A single search may result in a murky list of endless, tangentially related apps, only to find that none of the apps are helpful for health care providers. After sorting through hundreds of diet aids, medication reminder lists, etc., and through persistent attempts to narrow searches for medical documentation and coding software, we found 6 appropriate and relevant apps! Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad was written by health care providers to guide other health care providers, and focuses on two questions: Which medical documentation and coding software tools are available?What features do these medical documentation and coding apps have?

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Page 1: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Medical Coding AppsFor The iPhone and iPad

November 2011

Page 2: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Finding Medical Apps

Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad is a concise summary of medical documentation and coding apps that are appropriate for health care providers that are available for the iPhone and iPad.

For health care professionals, browsing the iTunes App Store to find suitable medical apps is a bit like searching for the proverbial needle in a hay stack. A single search may result in a murky list of endless, tangentially related apps, only to find that none of the apps are helpful for health care providers. After sorting through hundreds of diet aids, medication reminder lists, etc., and through persistent attempts to narrow searches for medical documentation and coding software, we found 6 appropriate and relevant apps!

Page 3: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad was written by health care providers to guide other health care providers, and focuses on two questions:

Which medical documentation and coding software tools are available?

What features do these medical documentation and coding apps have?

 

To make this information accessible to as many health care providers as possible, Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad is released as a free ebook on multiple platforms. If you find this ebook useful, please share it with a colleague.

Page 4: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

What is Evaluation and Management Coding?

Health care providers are not automatically paid for the services they provide. Every health care encounter must be documented and qualify for payment based on criteria established by insurance companies. Medicare, one of the largest insurance providers, has developed criteria for “Evaluation & Management” encounters, and these criteria are outlined in the 1997 Documentation Guidelines for Evaluation and Management Services. These criteria are complex, yet failure to adhere to these rules of documentation can result in hefty fines and/or jail time. For these reasons, health care professionals often seek professional documentation and coding assistance, and relevant, portable medical documentation and coding tools.

Page 5: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Medical Coding Apps

Page 6: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Code Check Pro

Code Check Pro is a point of care evaluation and management coding app that provides quick reference documentation requirements in a table format. Multiple encounter types are included. This app also includes access to full references, all Medicare defined exam types, and physician productivity tracking. Documentation requirements of a service can be reviewed after just one screen tap.

Page 7: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Code Check Pro is well organized, aesthetically pleasing, and transitions smoothly.

Features unique to this app are productivity graphs comparing work RVUs, Medicare pricing, and Medicare code distributions by specialty for included services. Code Check Pro also has a personal productivity tracker function that summarizes and graphs documentation and coding information for every patient encounter.

Code Check Pro is a useful tool for learning medical documentation and coding requirements. It is also valuable in routine use for ensuring coding accuracy, and providing productivity feedback, a feature not available in other apps.

Key Features Universal App (iPhone and iPad) RVU and Charge DataTrailblazer MDM Free trial version http://goo.gl/YKa4c

Page 8: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

CodeEM

CodeEM is a point of care coding reference tool for evaluation and management encounters. This app utilizes a Medical Decision Making (MDM) calculator to interactively determine the MDM level.

Page 9: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Those who are looking for a great coding tool that also teaches documentation and coding requirements will find CodeEM awkward and incomplete. Major weaknesses of this app are that the detailed information is fragmented and pocketed, and page transitions are a bit slow. Another weakness is the inability to readily review detailed documentation information while using the MDM Calculator mode. These qualities are a significant impediment for an app that requires a minimum of 9 page transitions to review the documentation requirements for a single encounter.

Not included in this app are single organ system exams and the Trailblazer MDM method.

Key Features Universal App (iPhone and iPad)

RVU Data

Medicare Charge Data (localized)

Free trial version http://goo.gl/3pzZI

Page 10: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Code My Note

Code My Note is an aesthetically pleasing, well organized and responsive medical coding app that works in an audit tool or calculator format. With little user effort, this app determines the appropriate coding level, using either the common method or Trailblazer method to determine the level of Medical Decision Making.

Page 11: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Code My Note is a user friendly app that also provides readily accessible, detailed documentation information. Though not referenced, the information is consistent with the 1997 Documentation Guidelines for Evaluation and Management Services, making this a useful learning tool for all health care providers.

A unique feature is the ability to select a minimum coding level. Once selected, the minimum requirements are highlighted. This is a handy reference tool for those already familiar with the documentation and coding, yet provides enough information for beginners. With experience, a single encounter’s documentation requirements can be reviewed in as little as 1 screen tap, if a base coding level is set under the Options tab.

Not included are single organ system exams, RVUs, and cost data.

Key Features iPhone app Free trial available Supports Trailblazer MDM http://goo.gl/Yu6Xz

Page 12: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

CPT E/M QuickRef

CPT E/M QuickRef is a point of care coding reference tool for evaluation and management encounters that includes more encounter types than any other app. CPT E/M QuickRef is responsive, well organized, and easy to navigate.

Page 13: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Major weaknesses to this app are that the detailed documentation information is buried several layers deep, and that the explanations of documentation requirements are vague, especially those relating to Medical Decision Making (MDM). This is particularly troublesome since determining the level of MDM is the most complex part of medical documentation and has the greatest influence on coding level. Finding the documentation requirements for a single encounter is cumbersome, requiring a minimum of 9 screen taps.

Not included in this app are single organ system exams, RVUs, cost data, and the Trailblazer MDM method.

Key Features

Free App

iPhone app

No MDM support

No single organ system exams

http://goo.gl/c4vve

Page 14: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

EM Coding

EM Coding is a point of care evaluation and management coding app featuring two methods to review documentation rules based on user knowledge and experience. The “I know what to bill” option summarizes documentation requirements for an encounter on a single page, simplifying coding level verification. The “calculate the level to bill” option launches an interactive medical coding calculator that requires at least seven steps to complete.

Page 15: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Several weaknesses are apparent with this app. First, it features only two encounter types: initial hospital care and subsequent hospital care. Second, the exam bullets do NOT correspond with the documentation requirements outlined in the 1997 Documentation Guidelines for Evaluation and Management Services, making it risky, at best, to rely on this coding app.

Not included are single organ system exams, RVUs, cost data, and the Trailblazer MDM method.

Key Features

iPhone app

Cost $4.99

http://goo.gl/UXARd

Page 16: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

STAT E&M Coder

STAT E&M Coder is a point of care coding audit calculator that has a simple one screen interface on the iPad. A major feature of this app is that it supports all Medicare defined physical exam types. Major weaknesses include a cluttered appearance that lacks esthetic appeal, and small buttons. Button size is a huge problem because over 35 screen taps are required to “check off” all the items required for a high level visit. Button selection is especially challenging on an iPhone.

Page 17: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

A feature unique to STAT E&M Coder is the snapshot tool that captures data entered on the screen which would be very useful for anyone wishing to save coding audit information.

Not included in this app are explanations of coding and documentation rules, cost data and the Trailblazer MDM method.

STAT E&M Coder is a reasonable app for users already well versed in medical documentation and coding, and who have small fingers.

Key Features

Universal App

Free trial available

RVU data

Snapshot tool

Cost $44.99 http://goo.gl/7jiJo

Page 18: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Thank you for reading Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad

Please share this with a colleague

Page 19: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

What are these things for?

They are QR codes

Scan them with your smartphone to

open your browser in iTunes to read

more about the app

OR

Type in the the URL that looks like

http://goo.gl/7jiJo in your browser to go

To the iTunes Appstore

Page 20: Medical Coding Apps for iPhone and iPad

Notices & Legal

Copyright 2011 by Robert Robinson and Martha BurkAll rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Apple, iPhone, iPad, iOS, iTunes, and App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

CPT is a trademark of the American Medical Association, registered in the U.S. and other countries.

STAT E&M Coder is a trademark of Austin Physician Productivity, registered in the U.S.

The contents of this manuscript are the opinions of the authors, not the opinions of Apple Inc. or the developers of any of the products included in this manuscript. This manuscript is not endorsed by Apple Inc. or the developers of any of the products included.

The authors are the developers of one of the apps featured in this book and have promoted the use of several of the included apps in professional settings such as regional continuing education events.