Coding: Teaching Old Docs New Tricks

Background: Post graduate curriculums rarely include comprehensive training in billing and coding methodology. Once out of training, this gap in knowledge may lead to missing or incorrect charges and potentially decreased revenue. The weighted average cost of one missing physician charge in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is $744. Historically, our institution provided physicians with a generic procedural billing code (Proc 99) then certified coders submitted the professional charge based on physician documentation. However, if …