Education on coding guidelines may increase physician confidence, accuracy with coding
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Key takeaways:
- After receiving education on coding, all providers had a significant improvement in coding for all coding levels.
- Attending providers had a statistically significant increase in coding accuracy.
SAN FRANCISCO — Results presented here showed education on updated coding guidelines may increase confidence and accuracy on coding at all levels among physicians.
“The results of this study suggest that coding education significantly improved all providers’ confidence at all levels,” Shreya S. Balusu, BS, said in her presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting. “Coding education improved accuracy score for all providers. However, only attending providers demonstrated a statistically significant improvement, suggesting that more targeted education may be necessary for some providers.”
Balusu and colleagues assessed coding and billing practices of orthopedic surgeons through a survey that collected information on provider comfort with coding, increasing levels of service visits and different billing models.
“In 2021, the survey was distributed to all providers and trainees in the orthopedic department. Review of coding audits was performed on a monthly basis, and accuracy scores were averaged over the course of 6 months,” Balusu said.
Between 2021 and 2023, providers received education on coding with training from a coding professional that reflected new guidelines and focused on improving confidence, comfort and accuracy, according to Balusu.
“In 2023, the providers who completed the initial survey completed the same survey again and were reaudited every month over the course of 6 months,” she said.
After receiving education between 2021 and 2023, all providers had a statistically significant improvement in coding for all coding levels. Although all providers had an increase in accuracy, only attending providers had a statistically significant increase in accuracy, according to Balusu.
“Comparing provider accuracy scores from 2021, we find that providers demonstrated no significant difference in accuracy scores between groups,” Balusu said. “However, once again comparing provider accuracy score in 2023, we found that [advanced practice providers] APPs and attendings had significantly increased scores compared to residents.”
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Balusu SS, et al. Paper 234. Presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; Feb. 12-16, 2024; San Francisco.
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