Much of the health care industry is not prepared for the transition to ICD-10 code sets, according to a survey from the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange, Modern Healthcare reports.
WEDI is a coalition of health IT users and developers (Conn, Modern Healthcare, 3/20). The group submitted the results of its latest ICD-10 readiness survey to CMS on Monday (Byers, CMIO, 3/19).
Background
U.S. health care organizations are working to transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 code sets to accommodate codes for new diseases and procedures. The switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10 code sets means that health care providers and insurers will have to change out about 14,000 codes for about 69,000 codes.
In February, Sebelius announced that HHS will begin a process to delay for certain health care entities the Oct. 1, 2013, deadline for complying with ICD-10 standards. Sebelius has not indicated when the new deadline would be (iHealthBeat, 3/2).
About the Survey
Since 2009, WEDI has conducted regular surveys to gauge the health care industry's readiness to comply with ICD-10 standards.
The latest report is based on survey responses collected in February from more than 2,600 representatives of health care providers, health plans and health IT vendors (CMIO, 3/19).
Survey Findings
According to WEDI, the survey found that many health care organizations would not have been ready to meet HHS' original October 2013 deadline for complying with ICD-10 standards (WEDI release, 3/19).
Among health care provider respondents, the survey found that:
- About 50% said they do not know when they will complete their impact assessment to prepare for the ICD-10 transition;
- About 50% said they do not know when they will begin external testing of ICD-10 code sets; and
- About one-third said they expect to begin external testing in 2013.
Among health plan respondents, the survey found that:
- The majority plan to begin external testing of ICD-10 code sets in 2013;
- More than one-third already have completed an impact assessment to prepare for the ICD-10 transition; and
- About 25% are less than halfway finished with their impact assessment.
Among health IT vendor respondents, WEDI found that about 50% are less than halfway finished with developing products to facilitate the ICD-10 transition (CMIO, 3/19).