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Course "Verification vs. Validation - Product Process Software and QMS" has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Overview: This course will review the company Master Validation Plan for major key inputs and CGMP deficiencies. It will address the FDA's newer and tougher regulatory stance. This course's aim is to prove "Product Risk Based V&V" by sufficient, targeted and documented risk-based V&V test case elements/scripts. It will teach participants to evaluate its elements against ISO 14971 and ICH Q9 for hazard analysis and product risk management. This course will evaluate different field-tested, U.S. FDA-reviewed V&V protocols; how to employ equipment/process Requirements Specs / DQs, IQs, OQs, and PQs, or their equivalents per ASTM E2500, all against a background of limited company resources. It will review a matrix that simplifies "as-product", in-product", process and equipment, et al, software VT&V, to assure key FDA requirements are not overlooked. While considering the QMS and 21 CFR Part 11; this course will make practical application of these same in two hands-on sessions. Why you should attend: This session helps participants: * Understand Verification and Validation, differences and how they work together; * Discuss recent regulatory expectations; * Know how to document a "risk-based" rationale, and use it in a resource-constrained environment; * Determine key "milestones" and "tasks" in a project; * Locate and document key subject "inputs"; * Compile "generic" Master and Individual Validation Plans; * Learn the key element of a Product V&V File/Protocol; * Understand how to develop Process and/or Production/Test Equipment V&V Files/Protocols; * Get a grasp of basic Test Case construction; * Understand sample sizes and their justification; * Learn the key elements of Software V&V expected by the FDA and how to document; * Deal with hardwa

Overview: Today's educated professionals function in a maze of different educational and training requirements, which vary from state to state and from profession to profession. Nowhere than in health care is this more evident where multidisciplinary health care practitioners work together towards a common goal for the patient. What is a profession? What areas of work require the unique professional education, training, and experience that becomes mandated by the state? What work requires professional judgment and skill so as to be regulated by the government through mandatory laws applicable to an individual person practicing his or her chosen profession? State laws are enacted for the protection of the public by legislatures in all the fifty states. A list of individual professions and their applicable statues and administrative regulations takes up entire volumes of lawbooks. These state laws impose significant regulation on these professionals, and often in very different ways found in many aspects of state regulation, from the educational process, the examination requirements, the state licensure applications, and the legal standards and rules of each unique profession. Explore how state licensure boards are created and function at the state level. While most such state agencies have common, core functions and operations, there are many differences - and some requirements that are truly the opposite from profession to profession. Review the common requirements the state imposes on the health care provider. Know the basics of professional education and licensure. Understand the difference between legally binding laws and mere codes of ethics, which are aspirational and do not form the basis for legal action. Find out how to understand and navigate the challenges presented from differing and conflicting state laws governing the many health care professions. Know where key requirements exist that are common to many professions. This program

Overview: Today's educated professionals function in a maze of different educational and training requirements, which vary from state to state and from profession to profession. Nowhere than in health care is this more evident where multidisciplinary health care practitioners work together towards a common goal for the patient. What is a profession? What areas of work require the unique professional education, training, and experience that becomes mandated by the state? What work requires professional judgment and skill so as to be regulated by the government through mandatory laws applicable to an individual person practicing his or her chosen profession? State laws are enacted for the protection of the public by legislatures in all the fifty states. A list of individual professions and their applicable statues and administrative regulations takes up entire volumes of lawbooks. These state laws impose significant regulation on these professionals, and often in very different ways found in many aspects of state regulation, from the educational process, the examination requirements, the state licensure applications, and the legal standards and rules of each unique profession. Explore how state licensure boards are created and function at the state level. While most such state agencies have common, core functions and operations, there are many differences - and some requirements that are truly the opposite from profession to profession. Review the common requirements the state imposes on the health care provider. Know the basics of professional education and licensure. Understand the difference between legally binding laws and mere codes of ethics, which are aspirational and do not form the basis for legal action. Find out how to understand and navigate the challenges presented from differing and conflicting state laws governing the many health care professions. Know where key requirements exist that are common to many professions. This program

Course "HIPAA Security & Privacy Official - Roles and Responsibilities" has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Overview: Being the HIPAA Security and Privacy Official involves not only ensuring you know the appropriate patient rights and controls on your uses and disclosures of protected health information, but you also have the proper policies and procedures in place. If audited or the subject of a compliance review you will be required to show the government you have all the necessary documentation in place for safeguarding patient Protected Health Information and indicate how you addressed all required security safeguards. This starts with the fundamentals of a HIPAA compliance program. If your HIPAA Security and Privacy Official needs to understand what all the HIPAA requirements are or make sure the current program is adequate and can withstand government scrutiny, please join us for this informative and interactive seminar. Why you should attend: The HIPAA Security and Privacy Official is the backbone of any organization's compliance program. Often times this role is assigned as collateral duty in smaller organizations. Regardless the size of an organization, the HIPAA Security and Privacy Official must know all the requirements for compliance. This is a critical element of the position. Attendees will leave the course clearly understanding the role and all the requirements as the designated as a HIPAA Security and Privacy Official. This seminar will cover reviews, creation, and amending policy and procedure. After completing this course, a HIPAA Security and Privacy Official will have a clear understanding for what needs to be place when it comes to all of the HIPAA regulations. Areas Covered in the Session: Why was HIPAA created? The Role and Responsibilities of the HIPAA Security and Privacy Official Complying with HIPAA Requirements? What are the HIPAA Security

Course "HIPAA - Putting an Organizational Compliance Program in Place" has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion Overview: Being in compliance with HIPAA involves not only ensuring you provide the appropriate patient rights and controls on your uses and disclosures of protected health information, but you also have the proper policies and procedures in place. If audited or the subject of a compliance review you will be required to show the government you have all the necessary documentation in place for safeguarding patient Protected Health Information and indicate how you addressed all required security safeguards. This starts with the fundamentals of a HIPAA compliance program. If your healthcare practice, business, or organization needs to understand how to put HIPAA compliance program in place or make sure the current program is adequate and can withstand government scrutiny, please join us for this informative and interactive 2 day training course. Why you should attend With an increase in HIPAA enforcement and Phase 2 audits underway, many organizations need to fully understand the requirements of a compliance program. Attendees will leave the course clearly understanding of all the requirements for a comprehensive HIPAA compliance program and what steps need to be taken to mitigate risk. The seminar will include practical exercise to assist in knowing how to develop, review, and amend HIPAA policy and procedure. After completing this course, a Covered Entity or Business Associate will have a clear roadmap for what needs to be place when it comes to all of the HIPAA regulations. Areas Covered in the Session * Why was HIPAA created? * What is HITECH and the Omnibus Rule? * Who Must Comply with HIPAA Requirements? * What are the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules? * What is a HIPAA Compliance Program? * What is a HIPAA Risk Management Plan? * What is meant by

Overview: New changes modifying the HIPAA Privacy and Security Regulations are going into place to meet the privacy and security mandates within the HITECH Act in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The changes include establishing new rights for individuals as well as changes to the limitations on uses and disclosures. New requirements for patient access to records and requirements to notify individuals in the event of a breach are only two of the many areas affected in the new law, including new requirements for restriction and accounting of disclosures and increased enforcement activity. Covered entities that use electronic health records (EHRs) will need to meet new access and disclosure rules and all kinds of business associates and their subcontractors will need to establish compliance programs. And if you are required to have a HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, you will need to update that to show all the new rights that patients will have, such as electronic copies, new rights to restrict disclosures, and much more. Business associates are now directly covered by the HIPAA privacy and security regulations and are liable for fines and penalties if they do not comply. If a business associate supplies services that interact with the new changes to the rules, the BA will need to be aware of the new requirements. We will explain what a Business Associate needs to do differently under the new regulations. Electronic records have new demands placed on them, in both providing access and in accounting for all disclosures of health information - the electronic age in health care brings new obligations to serve individuals as well as manage health information for healthcare professionals. We will discuss how disclosures must be tracked in an EHR and review the various ways patient records can be supplied electronically. The new regulations will be reviewed and their effects on usual practices will be discussed, as will what policies need to be chang

Overview: Mental health care practitioners work in today's diverse, fast-changing, multidisciplinary health care environment. Nowhere but in mental health is there such diversity of clinicians who provide the same or similar services of counseling and therapy. A potential client has a wide choice of mental health providers from whom to choose. Yet each individual mental health profession has a unique education, training, and experience requirement for practice. While similarities exist, requirements differ from state to state and even from profession to profession with a single state. What are these requirements and how do they apply? The state's authority and power over mental health practitioners often presents challenges to these mental health professionals that are not easy to navigate. Differing sources of legal and ethical authority govern each respective health care practitioner in ways that are similar but not the same. Ethics and law are similar, but not the same. All mental health practitioners must adhere to standards of state law which govern their professional practices, including the very core of the doctor-patient relationship. Codes of ethics and state law may both apply to govern the conduct of this clinician. Even some state laws are referred to as ethical codes. Complaints as to alleged misconduct or ethical failings are received and investigated by a state agency and leave the mental health practitioner with an uncertain process to handle and to defend the state action against them. With this background, this seminar empowers the full understanding and application of ethics and laws for mental health practitioners. Learn to identify and understand an ethical framework for a sound mental health practice. An ethical framework is essential to having the right perspective to examine mental health dilemmas. Compare and contrast regulatory laws and codes of ethics to understand their differing applicability. Know the difference between laws and ethics,

Course "HIPAA - Putting an Organizational Compliance Program in Place" has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Overview: Being in compliance with HIPAA involves not only ensuring you provide the appropriate patient rights and controls on your uses and disclosures of protected health information, but you also have the proper policies and procedures in place. If audited or the subject of a compliance review you will be required to show the government you have all the necessary documentation in place for safeguarding patient Protected Health Information and indicate how you addressed all required security safeguards. This starts with the fundamentals of a HIPAA compliance program. If your healthcare practice, business, or organization needs to understand how to put HIPAA compliance program in place or make sure the current program is adequate and can withstand government scrutiny, please join us for this informative and interactive 2 day training course. Why you should attend: With an increase in HIPAA enforcement and Phase 2 audits underway, many organizations need to fully understand the requirements of a compliance program. Attendees will leave the course clearly understanding of all the requirements for a comprehensive HIPAA compliance program and what steps need to be taken to mitigate risk. The seminar will include practical exercise to assist in knowing how to develop, review, and amend HIPAA policy and procedure. After completing this course, a Covered Entity or Business Associate will have a clear roadmap for what needs to be place when it comes to all of the HIPAA regulations. Areas Covered in the Session: · Why was HIPAA created? · What is HITECH and the Omnibus Rule? · Who Must Comply with HIPAA Requirements? · What are the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules? · What i

Overview: Upon completing this course participants will leave with a preliminary preventive control implementation plan and will: * Understand US FDA final rules for the Preventive Controls for Human and Animal Foods * Define and review your current system to identify gaps in your preventive controls planning. * Be able to develop and implement a valid preventive control company food safety plan to close any gaps * Write and implement appropriate procedures. * Know your requirements for control over your supply chain * Be able to plan and implement HARPC * Be able to perform environmental monitoring * Know how cross contamination can impact your preventive control plan * Know the difference between validation and verification * Understand and be able to use statistical process controls basics * Be able to plan and implement a team approach to preventive controls * Be able to help your food importers to jump through FDA hoops * Develop a system to risk rank your suppliers * Have a plan in hand that will pass any validation check for preventive controls * Understand some of the technology and costs that can help you establish preventive controls * Prove that your system actually prevents food safety problems * Be able to document and report results to upper management, external food safety auditors and FDA auditors * Save your company money Establish simple, low cost complete data collection and reporting systems. * Establish teambuilding between food safety and quality personnel to develop and implement changes to your current system * Understand food safety, security and recall responsibilities in light of cargo theft, adulteration and temperature failures * Learn how to use your system to get some ROI and improve your marketing position * Review current and future technologies designed to improve and simplify data collection * Establish a completely documented system Why should you attend: Validation of preventive co

Overview: Today's diverse, fast-changing, multidisciplinary mental health care environment involves many mental health care professionals who work together for the common goal of the patient. This includes physicians/psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, and others. Nothing in health care is more fractured than in mental health among a multitude of mental health practitioners. Like physicians/psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses, psychologists as health care practitioners obtained an education, passed applicable examinations, completed professional training, and hold a license to practice their chosen profession of psychology, often by being educated and trained at the doctoral level. The license to practice is issued by the state agency which has exclusive jurisdiction over this health care practitioner. Thereafter, the state's authority and power over the psychologist often presents challenges to that professional that are not easy to navigate. Their governing state agency routinely handles, investigates, and dismisses- or prosecutes - alleged violations of law that can be career ending for the psychologist if pursued. But that process takes time with many steps necessary for due process of law. One of the ultimate actions the state may take is to issue a suspension or revocation of the psychologist's professional license. Yet many state actions fall short of such drastic outcomes, but still have serious, permanent consequences for the psychologist as a licensed health care professional. Learn to identify the legal authority for state agencies to regulate the practice of psychology. Seek to understand and defend against state actions which may result in ruinous practice and career consequences for the health care professional. This program offers an objective, thorough review of the ethical and legal violations committed by psychologists. This program also reviews defenses with practice tips to defend successfully those common violations. Otherwis

Overview: Today's educated professionals function in a maze of different educational and training requirements, which vary from state to state and from profession to profession. Nowhere than in health care is this more evident where multidisciplinary health care practitioners work together towards a common goal for the patient. What is a profession? What areas of work require the unique professional education, training, and experience that becomes mandated by the state? What work requires professional judgment and skill so as to be regulated by the government through mandatory laws applicable to an individual person practicing his or her chosen profession? State laws are enacted for the protection of the public by legislatures in all the fifty states. A list of individual professions and their applicable statues and administrative regulations takes up entire volumes of lawbooks. These state laws impose significant regulation on these professionals, and often in very different ways found in many aspects of state regulation, from the educational process, the examination requirements, the state licensure applications, and the legal standards and rules of each unique profession. Explore how state licensure boards are created and function at the state level. While most such state agencies have common, core functions and operations, there are many differences - and some requirements that are truly the opposite from profession to profession. Review the common requirements the state imposes on the health care provider. Know the basics of professional education and licensure. Understand the difference between legally binding laws and mere codes of ethics, which are aspirational and do not form the basis for legal action. Find out how to understand and navigate the challenges presented from differing and conflicting state laws governing the many health care professions. Know where key requirements exist that are common to many professions. This program offers an obje

Course "Key Factors to Write an Effective Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Work Instructions (WIs)" has been pre-approved by RAPS as eligible for up to 12 credits towards a participant's RAC recertification upon full completion. Overview: Writing SOPs or procedural documents can be challenging at times. However, writing SOPs is overall a straightforward process. However, enforcing what you already created and implemented in the pipeline is another story. The term SOP is very obvious. We have seen "clearly written description of how specific tasks are to be done." Another satisfactory definition would be "detailed written instructions that achieve the uniformity of the performance of a specific function." Is the firm doing what the regulations specify? Is the firm doing what their procedures specify? If you are medical device or a pharmaceutical manufacturer, these definitions come as no surprise because when it comes to FDA regulations and guidance documents "establish" means to define, to document (in writing or electronically) and to implement. The goal and emphasis with FDA is simple. Proof of "Establish" is the foundation. Is the firm doing what the regulations specify? Is the firm doing what their procedures specify? Are the procedures being followed and enforced by company personnel? SOPs are needed in regulated industries to give step-by-step instructions for performing a particular job or task. This session will provide a step-by-step overview and a snapshot of the procedure description, the process and format. The subject matter of a SOP may range from how to operate a piece of machinery to how to log into a particular software program. SOPs ensure consistency and reliability because they require training of all affected parties. This session will address recent enforcement actions for SOP related violations but no surprise. Most of our enforcement actions are documentation related, i.e., SOP or other procedural documents. We will review examples from

Overview: Health care practitioners and other licensed professionals work in today's diverse, fast-changing, multidisciplinary environment. All licensed professions have higher rates of drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and mental health issues. Yet each individual profession has a unique, though similar, state laws which govern how state licensing agencies take action against the professional so as to protect the public. The state's authority and power over licensed professionals often presents challenges to the impaired practitioner that are not easy to navigate. All licensed professionals must adhere to standards of state law which govern their professional practices and include prohibitions for impaired practice - even impairment along that is apart from any direct professional harm. Complaints that are received and investigated by a state agency leave the licensed professional with an uncertain process to handle the state action against them. Coupled with numerous related consequences, such as loss of employment, family issues and divorce, and criminal actions, the licensed professional must handle all these challenges successfully. Learn to identify and understand varying state laws that apply to allow disciplinary action against the licensed professional, both immediately and temporarily, and those which are permanent and final. Review the most common successful elements of the rehabilitation of the licensed professional faced with the deadly consequences of addiction. Compare and contrast regulatory laws and due process requirements for state action. This allows the licensed professional to avoid career-ending sanctions and to defend successfully against legal actions which may result in ruinous practice and career consequences for the professional. This program offers an objective, thorough review of laws which apply to the impaired licensed professional. Why should you attend: Health care practitioners are faced with a higher lifetime risk of drug abuse,

Overview: In this session we will discuss the HIPAA audit and enforcement programs and how they work, and discuss the areas that caused the most issues in prior audits. We will explore what kind of issues and what kind of entities had the most problems, and show where entities need to improve their compliance the most. We will also explore the typical risk issues that lead to breaches of health information and see how those issues may be a target for auditors in the new 2016 audits. We will review the contents of the HIPAA Audit Protocol used in 2012 to show what documentation needs to be on hand should your organization be selected for an audit in the new round. We will present methods for using the contents of the HIPAA Audit Protocol to build your own compliance plan by extracting and updating the contents and relating your compliance activities directly to the questions that might be asked. In this session we will discuss the HIPAA audit and enforcement regulations and processes, and how they apply to HIPAA covered entities and business associates. We will explain the enforcement regulations and the new, increased fines and new penalty levels, including new penalties for willful neglect of compliance that begin at $10,000. We will discuss what information and documentation must be prepared in advance so that you can be ready for an audit at any time, including sample information request forms and questions asked at prior audits. The session will also cover how to know if you may become the subject of an audit or enforcement action, and what you can do to help limit your exposure. We will discuss how most enforcement actions come about and what can be done to prevent incidents that lead to enforcement activity. The HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification regulations (and the recent changes to them) and how they will be audited will be explained. Documentation requirements for compliance will be explored and a framework of security policies necessary

Overview:   Review 6 points of high quality evidence based clinical documentation Review of 7 criteria that all entries in a patient record should include Impact of documentation on coding and claims Impact on audits and ability to defend an audit When an audit is initiated, the completeness of documentation becomes critical in the ability to support what you have reported. Let's take a look at areas in which weaknesses are often found.  Why should you Attend:  The granularity and accuracy of the ICD-10 code set is supported by quality clinical documentation. It is anticipated that payers will increasingly become less flexible in allowing non-specific codes. The use of unspecified codes will likely lead to rejected claims if it is possible to report the more definitive condition. In most cases, unspecified should not be reported unless there is clear evidence to support the inability to report the detailed option.  Is your E & M level supported in the documentation? If you have never experienced scrutiny of your billing patterns by payers and other entities, you may not be aware of weaknesses that lead to recovery of funds or other costly consequences. Your documentation will be key in supporting diagnoses, service codes and acuity of the patient. It is not just payers who engage in audits. Others include State medical boards, Qui Tam and possible reporting of questionable practices by patients. Do your billing patterns and documentation stand up under reporting scrutiny? This presentation will review areas in which you may not be as strong as you think!  Areas Covered in the Session: Significance of abnormal lab results Measurement of lesions, when taken and inclusion of margins Start & stop times & methodology for infusions & discrepancies in billing Diagnostic testing and medications should be supported in a diagnosis Depth of wounds and cause should be clear Severity of illness Diagnosis present on admission? Who Will Benefit: Coders Billers Rev

Overview: Hospital chargemasters are complex and represent a key component for the revenue cycle of hospitals. Chargemasters are intertwined with coding for services, billing for services, charging for services and even involve the cost reporting process. A myriad of decisions must be made concerning how the chargemaster is organized, impacts on coding and billing, charge structuring, cost accounting, and other processes within the revenue cycle. Whenever decisions are made, policies and procedures should be developed, approved and implemented. A proper system of billing and chargemaster policies and procedures can help to maintain an appropriate compliance stance in a world where ambiguous guidance is often the norm. The development of charges and charge structuring within the chargemaster is a major issue often referred to as transparent pricing. While even the Medicare program maintains that hospitals should charge for everything, the way in which charges are set and amalgamated at the claim level can vary significantly between hospitals. A key issue for the chargemaster is differentiating separately charging from separately reporting. The way in which hospitals make decisions about the bundling of charges at the line-item level within the chargemaster leads to many decisions, all of which need justification through proper policies and procedures. Due consideration must be given to departmental concerns about revenue generation, cost reporting implications, coding implications and any associate challenges with billing and claims filing. Why should you Attend: See Typical Questions - Here are some reworded marketing questions: Why are the chargemaster and hospital billing targets of compliance audits? How should we prioritize statutory and contractual compliance for the chargemaster and billing process? Will chargemaster and associated billing policies and procedures give us protection relative to compliance? How should we develop a system of chargemaster po

Overview: Today's health care delivery occurs in a diverse, fast-changing, multidisciplinary health care environment. This often presents challenges to the health care professional that are not easy to navigate. Medical records and their confidentiality have long been the exclusive province of state law, but has now been recognized for some time in the federal HIPAA statutes and federal regulations. Differing and even conflicting sources of requirements at the state level still exist for the retention and disposition of medical records. These sources may vary based upon the specific health care practitioner - whether physicians, dentists, psychologists, or other health care providers, including mental health practitioners. As to the specific, individual health care practitioner, state laws mandate their confidentiality, retention, and even their specific content with regards to patient, clinical records. In addition to these clinical requirements, additional state laws set forth the content and retention of other types of records kept by the professional, such as supervisory agreements with other professionals subordinate to them as well as their own unique record content requirements. With the majority of medical records moving to an electronic format, special rules now exist with regard to the confidentiality, security, retention, and disposition of electronic medical records. This is particularly important as state laws continue to allow for and regulate the provision of telemedicine by various health care practitioners. For example, while psychotherapy and mental health services are ideal treatments to offer over the internet, that is, by simultaneous audio-visual transmission between the doctor and the patient, the risks of breaches of confidentiality also vastly increase. And when the successful doctor-patient relationship is over, how does the health care practitioner providing a mental health service dispose of these electronic records? In addition to

Overview: Have you ever had a student who was excessively dramatic or who repeatedly monopolized discussions in a know-it-all, domineering, or aggressive fashion? Perhaps you've encountered a student who was so odd or anxious that they weren't able to participate in group activities or complete assignments. It's hard to know what to do when a student's personality just seems to take over your class, but you can't just stand by and do nothing. If they are not managed effectively, students with personality disorders take up a lot of time and can move your whole class in counterproductive directions. Sometimes these challenging students have a Personality Disorder, which is a persistent pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and themselves that is maladaptive, rigid, pervasive, and enduring. Personality Disorders also manifest in the student's emotional response and impulse control and can negatively impact classroom teaching and learning as well as a student's personal and academic success. Unless you are a particular student's psychiatrist, it's not your job to diagnose them as having a personality disorder, but it is helpful to recognize and understand signs of a personality disorder. This webinar will identify different personality disorders and review their common traits and characteristics. You will learn essential tools for dealing with Personality Disorders such as boundary setting, clear communication, and effective classroom management. In addition, you will review relevant mental health resources and when and how to make appropriate referrals to counseling, accessibility services, and student conduct. Why should you attend: If students with personality disorders are not managed effectively, their behavior can have a negative impact on teaching and learning. Areas Covered in the Session: Ten types of Personality Disorders Prevalence and Demographics Developmental issues Common traits and characteristics of Personality Dis

Overview: As the healthcare industry moves toward a value based reimbursement model rather than fee for service, it is crucial that the provider and ancillary staff understand how ineffective reporting can lead to dollars lost. We will review the 3 critical areas that require skilled management. Understand that patients are more educated about their healthcare and are increasingly responsible for more out of pocket costs. High dollar deductibles may result in self pay realities and bad debt increases. Learn areas that increase your chances for an audit. Are you ready for the challenge? Why should you Attend: Revenue is dependent upon proficiency in multiple areas. In today's environment, it is risky to maintain the status quo and increasingly important to obtain and maintain skilled business staff. The granularity of the ICD-10 code set requires understanding of the official coding conventions and guidelines, the ability to apply those guidelines, and the ability to recognize when reporting may lead to revenue delay, reduction or loss. Additionally, other factors affect your revenue stream. This includes patients with high deductible plans, collection of much more than a small co-pay, and staff understanding of regulations that govern telephone collection activity. Don't leave money on the table or invite an audit into your practice. Audits are often the result of weak billing and coding skills. This program will review several areas that will cost you money if poorly handled. Areas Covered in the Session: Required specificity in coding Documentation necessary for ICD-10 reporting Why coders must frequently query for clarification How ambiguous diagnosis reporting affects you r bottom line Internal collections versus outsourcing. What should you consider Staff effective in handling problem claims? Developing appeals? Who Will Benefit: Coders Billers Revenue cycle Physicians Mid-level providers Nurses Claims follow-up Managers Managers Speaker Profil