You are the new coding manager at a 500-bed teaching academic hospital. Upon your start, you come to realize that the coding unit is a disaster. There is currently no coding quality program in place and there are no documented standards for either quality or productivity. There is a relatively high denial rate as a result of these issues. You must work to resolve these coding deficiencies. Since you were promoted from within, you already have awareness to these issues, and are also aware the coding unit is already in trouble with the Quality Improvement Organization. You fear that the OIG could show up at any time to review and research the coding operations.
What are going to do to resolve the coding problems and decrease the denial rate?
What standards for quality and coding do you recommend?
What standards for productivity will you recommend?
How will your initiatives impact the coding unit?
