Coding News from Clinical Coding Services
New Zealand Health Information Service (NZHIS)
Issue 2
Hi Everyone
This is the second email update to inform you all about what has been happening with Clinical Coding at NZHIS over the last few months. The end of the financial year is fast approaching and I am well aware this is an extremely busy time for you all.
Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA):
HIMAA have postponed their 2006 conference that was to be held in Auckland on the 25/26th September.
It will now be held on 8th - 10th October 2007 at the Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Clinical Education Centre, Level 5, Auckland City Hospital.
HIMAA are inviting submissions of abstracts now, these must be submitted by 1st September 2006. For more information visit their website: www.himaa.org.au
HIMAA course information and enrolment forms can be request from me at Tracy_Thompson@nzhis.govt.nz or Mary Ellen at
Mary-Ellen_Wetherspoon@nzhis.govt.nz. Remember New Zealand students get a 15% discount.
Health Information Association of New Zealand (HIANZ):
HIANZ Study Day is on the 28th July 2006 at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton.
HIMAA will be the facilitators for the coders' session, which will be an all day event. Topics to be covered will be obstetrics, external cause, additional diagnoses and post op complications.
Registration forms and flyer have been distributed electronically to email groups Coding Managers, Team Leaders and Clinical Coders.
If you require a registration form please contact Gill Hacket; email ghacket@middlemore.co.nz or alternatively Mary-Ellen or myself.
The HIANZ Conference this year will be held at Te Papa Wellington on the 23rd/24th November. HIMAA has confirmed they will be facilitating an afternoon session at the conference with topic is yet to be confirmed.
Performance Indicators for Coding Quality - PICQ 2004:
I am still having technical problems when trying to define a report. The analysts are aware of the problem and are working towards a resolution.
Unfortunately there will be a further delay due to me being out of the office completing hospital visits this month.
Hospital Visits:
This month I have been busy visiting hospitals down south, which are now all completed. I have planned all the north island hospital visits apart from one, these will be completed by the start of June.
I would like to thank everyone I have visited so far for giving up their precious time to talk to me and for being so welcoming and understanding with the odd disruptions I have had in my travel plans.
NZHIS Move to 133 Molesworth Street
All NZHIS staff will be moving from BCL House, Willis Street to 133 Molesworth Street on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th June.
This will be a disruptive time for several days before and after the move, so please bear with us. Our mailing address and phone numbers will be staying the same however the most reliable means of contact will be to phone our mobiles:
Mary-Ellen 027 496 6915
Tracy 027 270 4491
NCCH Award
The NCCH gives an annual award which consists of a certificate and prize money.
I would like to acknowledge Russell Main who is a clinical coder at Christchurch Hospital was selected to receive this award.
Russell tied with another student for achieving the highest course mark in 2005.
Russell completed the HIMAA Introductory Course where he attained 99% on the final exam, which gave him an overall course mark of 98%.
Mary-Ellen and I would like to congratulate Russell on his great achievement.
Classification Upgrade
Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) Issues:
There are two issues under review at the moment in relation to DRG assignment.
Carotid stenosis with angioplasty:
When assigning any of the codes from section I65 Occlusion and stenosis of precerebral arteries, not resulting in cerebral infarction as principal diagnosis, and any procedure code from block [754] Transluminal balloon angioplasty the grouper assigns an error DRG.
Example:
Principal diagnosis
I65.2 Occlusion and stenosis of carotid artery
Procedure code:
35309-07 [754] Percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty with stenting, multiple stents
DRG assigned with the above codes is 901Z Extensive OR Procedure Unrelated to Principal Diagnosis.
A thorough investigation has been carried out to assess where the problem lies in this situation. A solution to map the error DRG has been proposed as a work around at this time. There is no change in current coding practice.
New Zealand Coding Authority (NZCA):
The current term for NZCA is due to finish on the 30th June 2006. The team has worked hard to address and resolve coding issues for the sector and we would like to acknowledge and thank all members for their valuable contribution.
In order to best address issues surrounding future classification upgrades, and to further improve this service, NZHIS is proposing to make changes to the NZCA effective from 1 July 2006, which is the start of the new NZCA term.
The proposal is to reduce the size of the NZCA and to develop a larger sub-group, the New Zealand Coding Committee (NZCC).
The NZCA will consist of approximately 5 members elected from the sector. The activities that the NZCA would be involved in would be high level classification and case mix issues, and work requiring direct communication with NCCH. Meetings would occur 4 times a year to coincide with CSAC meetings.
The proposed NZCC would provide a means by which a greater number of coders at all DHBs would be involved in the process of query resolution. A rep would be nominated from each DHB and it is envisaged that meetings will be held monthly via teleconference.
Most of you would be aware by now that the process of updating the NZCA website has been in progress for some months. Included in the upgrade is a new query webpage which will improve the level of efficiency with which queries are managed. The site is due to go live in June 2006 after thorough testing is completed.
Details of all the changes to the NZCA website and the NZCA/NZCC, and the draft terms of reference for these groups will be available sometime after Easter. This will give all of you plenty of time to review, evaluate and provide feedback on these new developments before June.
Tracy Thompson
Senior Advisor - Coding Education
Clinical Coding Services
New Zealand Health Information Service
Corporate & Information Directorate
Ministry of Health
DDI: 04 460 4037
Mobile: 027 270 4491
Fax: 64-4-922-1897
http://www.nzhis.govt.nz
mailto: Tracy_Thompson@nzhis.govt.nz