Health Information Compliance Alert
You Be The Security Expert ~ Do We Need A Backup For Our Audits?
Read the situation below and decide how you would handle it before you compare it to our expert's advice. Question: Should our compliance officer audit our medical records for coding compliance? Answer: Sometimes a compliance officer can be her own worst enemy, especially when it comes to coding compliance audits.
"Do not audit cases yourself," emphasizes Sue Prophet, director of coding policy and compliance for the American Health Information Management Association.
Compliance officers "try to do this all the time," but those who aren't fluid in code sets language -- and virtually none of them are -- "cause all sorts of problems," Prophet explains.
Seek out a coding expert, Prophet counsels. Either contract with an outside consultant or, if the facility is large enough, use available in-house expertise
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