As you already must be aware, a big change is coming to the healthcare industry, now that the U.S. government is requiring us to switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10. Version 10 of the International Classification of Diseases has already been adopted by many countries around the world, but our government has granted a few extensions so that providers can spend more time preparing for the switch.

Busy owners and managers of medical practices may not always be able to budget much time to keep up with the latest healthcare industry news and regulatory updates. You have likely been briefed, however, on the U.S. government’s mandate that providers must switch from version 9 of the International Classification of Diseases code to ICD-10. Developed and maintained by the World Health Organization, the ICD codes provide international standards for describing ailments and diagnoses, enabling the industry and government entities to communicate more easily. Since the transition to ICD-10 has been delayed until October 1, 2015 in the U.S., now is a good time to consider that what you don’t know about ICD-10 may hurt you.

Obviously, no one is born a computer expert or can be considered proficient at using software without becoming familiar with all the settings, features, navigation elements, menu options, and so on. Your staff had to become familiar with EHR software and how to use the International Classification of Disease code version 9 in order to let your practice operate in accordance with industry standards and government regulations.

No matter how many great educational institutions we have turning out top-notch medical professionals, and no matter how many great managers are available to run medical organizations in the most efficient and cost-beneficial manner, the level of quality will vary from practice to practice. Be honest. How would you rate your own practice? For that matter, can you remember the last time you did a complete evaluation of how you run the organization? Is it possible that some things are starting to slip through the cracks, or that you have lost some talented employees and haven’t found replacement workers who can fill their shoes? By emulating the actions of great medical practices, you can move forward with better confidence.

The following is an excerpt from an article by Cliff Bleustein, MD, MBA, of Dell Services. This article originally appeared on www.ehrintelligence.com. Over the past two years, hospitals have invested in modifying applications and workflows to fit the demands of ICD-10. And many have ramped up training on the detailed documentation that the new coding system requires. But a February survey by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) indicated that only 10 percent of physician practices were prepared for the change, and a lack of familiarity with the new documentation demands was part of the issue. Documentation remains an Achilles heel for many hospital ICD-10 conversion plans.

The following is an excerpt from an article by Andy Arends of Dell Services. This article originally appeared on Healthcare IT News. A February 2014 survey by the Medical Group Management Association indicated that only 10 percent of physician practices were prepared for the ICD-10 conversion, and this lack of provider readiness was a major reason congress pushed back the 2014 deadline. Lacking the expertise in-house and lacking the time and money to seek outside help, many physicians have procrastinated on preparations. To prevent further delays and to ensure a smooth transition to ICD-10, health plans need to actively engage physicians in their testing process. Even if there are no further delays to ICD-10 implementation – and, indeed, a new compliance deadline of Oct. 1, 2015, has been set - a lack of provider readiness will cause major headaches for health plans.

As medical professionals, it’s our responsibility to always strive to do better in how we deliver care to our patients. The more satisfied your patients are, after all, the more likely it will be that they’ll stay with you instead of going with another doctor or another practice. Read on to learn how you can improve your next patient visit in five simple steps.

Each profession has its own unique set of characteristics that distinguish it from other industries, and the medical profession is no exception. One of the benefits of being a member of a professional community like medicine is that you can share common problems and help one another deal with the bad that comes with the good we do each day. Here are four difficult things every medical professional can certainly relate to.

Putting together a great team for your medical organization takes an enormous amount of time, research, tenacity, and luck, and the most-prepared medical practices will be rewarded with the opportunity to hire the best available doctors. When you see a physician operating at the top of his or her game, you can see the greatness in each action, and you should be filled with pride that you have such a talented person on your team. Great physicians are not defined just by the excellent things they accomplish every day. We also make judgments about them according to the things physicians refrain from doing. Here are five things that really great doctors refuse to do.

You and your team have worked long and hard to build up a successful medical practice, and you recognize that it is crucial to maintain high standards of quality in the healthcare services you provide. You also know that it takes time, effort, and good sense of what your patients want to ensure that they will continue to be loyal to your practice. If you don’t know what your patients want, how can you be assured that you are doing what it takes to retain them? With these issues in mind, here are some tips to help you give your patients exactly what they want.