In November 2011, the AMA put ICD-10 in its crosshairs, saying it would “work vigorously to stop implementation of ICD-10.” The AMA has argued ICD-10 will burden physicians with “no direct benefit to individual patients’ care,” and it will be too costly as physicians also grapple with electronic health records.
ICD-10 is currently set to go live Oct. 1, 2014. However, ICD-10 has already been used worldwide since the early 1990s, and the World Health Organization is getting ready to finalize a beta version of ICD-11 by May 2015, which has led many in the industry to advocate for a direct jump to ICD-11 so the U.S. coding procedures are up to snuff with the rest of the world.
In addition to advocating for further delays of ICD-10, the AMA board of trustees did not recommend skipping ICD-10 and moving directly to ICD-11, saying there are “even greater complexities and uncertainties.”
The physician advocacy group said there are some advantages to moving from ICD-9 to ICD-11, such as the need for physicians to undergo one implementation period instead of two. However, the AMA said there were too many disadvantages, such as lost knowledge and a potential 20-year timeframe to implement ICD-11.
More Articles on ICD-10:
What are the Financial and Operational Impacts of ICD-10?
What the ICD-10 Transition Means for Healthcare Organizations
ICD-10 Transition Tips for Success
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.