ChartWise adds feature for coders

By Kimberley Donoghue
PBN Web Editor
Twitter: @ kdonog

WAKEFIELD – Medical software firm ChartWise Medical Systems Inc. has added a new feature to its Clinical Documentation Improvement product to allow coders – people at hospitals and other medical facilities who input diagnosis codes (which are used for reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid, among other things) – to prepare for the new system slated for October 2013.

Chartwise rolled out Jan. 10 a feature allowing coders to hover over an ICD-9 code (current system) and view a pop-up displaying its corresponding ICD-10 (new system) code. ICD referes to the International Classification of Diseases.

“Most CDI vendors are focusing solely on the software they will provide once ICD-10 hits,” said Dr. Jon Elion, founder and CEO of ChartWise. “What we’re looking to do is enable clinical documentation specialists and coders to become familiar with the new codes now. This exposure over the next couple years will prove invaluable when everything changes over.”

When the new, ICD-10 system is in place, ChartWise’s computer-assisted Clinical Documentation Improvement software will also display the old, ICD-9 equivalent.