Earn CEUs while you Learn ICD-10

New ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Online Modules from Carol J. Buck and Karla Lovaasen let you make the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 at your convenience, all while earning continuing education units (CEUs) from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
Online and self paced, these modules give you an overview of the new code set, and then teach you how to translate your ICD-9 understanding to ICD-10. Upon successful completion, you earn a certificate of ICD-10 readiness that can be used to claim continuing education units (CEUs) from the AAPC. Prove to employers and colleagues that you are ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS ready with training from Carol J. Buck, Karla Lovaasen, and Elsevier!

ICD-10-CM Online Training Modules 2010
By Carol J. Buck, MS, CPC, CPC-H, CCS-P
- Six interactive modules
- Earn 4 CEUs from the AAPC upon successful completion
- Learn more at http://evolve.elsevier.com/ICD-10/CM

ICD-10-PCS Online Training Modules 2010
By Karla R. Lovaasen, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P
- Five interactive modules
- Earn 2 CEUs from the AAPC upon successful completion
- Learn more at http://evolve.elsevier.com/ICD-10/PCS

Get to Know the New Code Set with ICD-10 Draft Manuals

It’s not yet October 2013, but educators and students alike are gearing up for ICD-10! Now is the time to start familiarizing yourself with these codes, so having a reference manual at your fingertips is essential.

The easy-to-use and straightforward approach you’ve come to expect from Carol J. Buck is available in Draft ICD-10 manuals from Elsevier. 2010 ICD-10 CM and 2010 ICD-10-PCS have been designed by coders for coders to help you easily access and accurately transition to the new code set. Included are the complete 2009 ICD-10-CM & ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding & Reporting (OCGR) as well as exclusive Netter’s Anatomy Artwork, giving you the support you need to confidently prepare for the changes to come!

Contact your Elsevier Sales Rep (or email sales.inquiry@elsevier.com) to learn more about ICD-10 Draft Manuals from Elsevier.

GEMs: A Helpful Roadmap to ICD-10-CM

Every journey is easier with a map. Now you can map your course from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM with General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs).

What are GEMs?
General Equivalence Mappings are free, government-authored reference files designed to help you convert data coded in ICD-9-CM to appropriate codes in the ICD-10-CM code set. Published via the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ICD-10-CM website, these public domain files make it easier for you to learn how ICD-10-CM works and how to use it.

Access the GEM directory here.

How do GEMs work?
Because very few ICD-9-CM codes have a single direct successor in the ICD-10-CM set, GEMs do not simply translate ICD-9 codes into ICD-10, but instead demonstrate the differences between the two sets and guide you in making informed decisions about how to analyze clinical data and assign the appropriate codes.

Learn more about GEMs here.

Register for updates from icd10educators.com now to ensure that you receive more helpful tips on making a smooth transition to ICD-10-CM!

Understanding ICD-10 Gives Students an Advantage in the Workplace

by Colleen Agee

Former Medical Coder | Elsevier Account Representative, Career Sales

Even with limited coding experience, today's coding students can gain an edge on professional coders already in the workforce. The change from ICD-9 to ICD-10 on October 1st, 2013 will affect all coders, no matter how much experience they may have. Give yourself an advantage by learning about ICD-10 now.

Today's professional coders work with approximately 17,000 codes in the ICD-9-CM code set. After the transition to ICD-10, they'll be working with more than 155,000 codes. With the coding community nervous about the changes, many companies are delaying ICD-10 training for their staff until the 2013 implementation date draws closer. This is your chance to get ahead.

Here are some steps you can take to leverage your understanding of ICD-10 in your job search and early coding career:

• Identify initial ICD-10 training on your résumé. Employers receive many résumés for every open position. While many applicants may have years of professional experience or coding certification, very few are trained on how to code with ICD-10 -- especially in smaller medical offices. This will make your résumé stand out from the rest.
• Mention your ICD-10 experience in your job interview. When discussing your skills, highlight your understanding of ICD-10. This will demonstrate your value to potential employers both as an experienced coder and a source of information for other coders on staff.
• Share your knowledge. Once you're hired, share what you know about ICD-10 with other employees. You'll stand out as a leader among the coders on staff, which will benefit you when your boss is conducting reviews or considering promotions.
• Stay up to date. Show employers your motivation and dedication by following ICD-10 information as it becomes available. You can find ICD-10 updates here and at these other sites:

www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10

www.ahima.org/ICD10

www.aapc.com/ICD-10

Elsevier's core coding resources already include ICD-10 coverage so you can start your preparation now. Learn more.

Ease your program into ICD-10

Elsevier implements gradual transition plan in annual coding textbooks.

Experts across the coding industry agree that a gradual adoption of ICD-10 coverage is the most effective way to transition your curriculum from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM/PCS.

To guide you through this process and ensure that you're always up to date, Elsevier will progressively shift the focus of its annual coding textbooks -- Buck's Step-by-Step Medical Coding and Lovaasen's ICD-9-CM Coding with ICD-10 -- from ICD-9-CM to the new code set. These texts will increase coverage of ICD-10 each year between now and the October 2013 implementation date. This means that you and your students will always have the amount of ICD-9 and ICD-10 coverage you need, without having to buy additional ICD-10 textbooks or switch from one book to another to cover ICD-9 and ICD-10. Ensure consistent coverage of ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-PCS by teaching students both code sets in the same text, and in the same learning format.

What do you mean by "gradual transition?"

The 2010 editions of Step-by-Step Medical Coding and ICD-9-CM Coding: Theory and Practice focus primarily on current coding standards and practices while providing a basic introduction to ICD-10 through unique features like dual coding. The 2011, 2012, and 2013 editions will increase emphasis on the new code set to help you maintain a seamless transition and ensure effective training for your students.

The chart below illustrates the complete transition timeline, beginning with the 2010 editions available now.

To learn more about these market-leading resources or Elsevier's complete plan for ICD-10 integration, register for updates now or contact your Elsevier Education Solutions Consultant.

From the Elsevier Experts: Is Your Med Term Coverage "Up to Code?"

With changes coming to coding terminology, it’s important to evaluate your program’s med term coverage now.

When is a “resection” really an “excision?”

When it’s coded in ICD-10-PCS. As instructor and author Alice Noblin explains, “Certain common surgical procedures are defined differently in [ICD-10-]PCS than they are in Volume 3 of ICD-9[-CM].”

For example, transurethral resection of the prostate (the process of treating benign prostatic hyperplasia via the removal of tissue from the prostate) will now be coded as transurethral excision of the prostate. “With I-10, if you code it as a transurethral resection, you are coding removal of the prostate. So it’s going to be an adjustment for existing coders, too.”

Noblin, Health Information Management Program Director at the University of Central Florida, recently participated in an ICD-10 training seminar sponsored by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and noted the potential challenges presented by this new terminology. “Coders and coding students need to know about these changes. Relying on existing terminology will result in miscoding.”

How can you prepare?

As the leader in coding education resources, Elsevier is developing training solutions to help instructors adapt their programs to reflect the changes in terminology for PCS coding. Begin your preparation now by ensuring that your program’s medical terminology coverage is up to date.

Watch for tips on how to help students prepare for the coming changes, and register for updates now to get the latest ICD-10 news and information on Elsevier’s exclusive training program!