From CIOReview Healthcare Special Edition
November 24, 2016
The omnipresence of mobile devices and their applications have ushered a paradigm shift in healthcare settings. The infusion of novel technologies and new participants in the market are introducing better ways to assimilate knowledge from disparate fields for delivering unparalleled care experience.
Technologies like big data, cloud computing and Internet of Things are facilitating better communication and collaboration across the entire care continuum and are enhancing care delivery. Along the same lines, healthcare industry is gearing towards a more value-based business approach, building analytics competency to accelerate care quality and drive operational and clinical developments. From smart algorithms, wearables to smart sensors and innovative practices, the new technology entrants are making big strides in the world of overwhelming data to improve management of chronic diseases as well as to contribute efficiency and productivity in diverse operations. Few other big components at the forefront of this transformation are electronic health records, drug dose calculators and digital medical records, paving way for enhanced care delivery with better, holistic and real-time view of a patient’s health.
As more healthcare organizations invest in these technologies and system capabilities, they’re seeing proven results. Consequently, the market today is replete with multitude of technology solution providers to assist companies to improve performance and productivity. To help organizations select the best vendors that offer the most promising solutions, CIOReview presents the “50 Most Promising Healthcare Solution Providers”.
A distinguished panel of prominent CEOs, CIOs, VCs, and analysts, along with the CIOReview’s editorial board has assessed hundreds of security solution providers and shortlisted the ones that are at the forefront of providing cutting-edge technology solutions. The listing provides a look into how the solutions in this domain are put into use, so that you can gain a comprehensive understanding of how they will optimize business processes.
OUTSOURCED HEALTHCARE MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST
For more than 14 years, KIWI-TEK has been providing customized coding solutions to help healthcare providers improve their coding speed, accuracy and compensation at significantly lower cost. “Coding, like medical procedures, has become a specialty—as it is the functional glue that holds the system together—from transcribing diagnoses, procedures and treatments, to properly processing billing to obtain optimum deserved reimbursement,” expresses Mark Wagner, President of KIWI-TEK. “Coding is the lifeblood of the business of health care.”
ICD-10 stirred up the marketplace with facilities outsourcing significant portions of their coding so they could retrain their own coders and make the compliance deadline of October 2015. Following the implementation of ICD-10, except for ongoing incremental ICD-10 modifications, the heavy demand for outsourced coders has diminished. However, the complexities of ICD-10 have left an increased demand for highly accurate coders. Healthcare facilities deem accuracy as their number one coding issue. It effects their coding compliance, speed of billing and obtaining fast and appropriate compensation from payers. This results in more consistent cash flow.
The huge demand for coders caused by ICD-10 left a mixed bag of coder talent, experience, and aptitude, which is reflected by the increasing concern for accuracy. Facilities are beginning to recognize the value of working with the best of the best coders. Often they reside in an outsourced coding company, where they receive ongoing training, testing and certification.
KIWI-TEK’s outsourcing approach exceeds the client’s existing in-house coding performance by recognizing the financial and organizational challenges and making the transition sensible, manageable and successful. KIWI-TEK offers an array of modular outsourced coding approaches to cover diverse coding needs ranging from PRN routine coding assignments to a full-time, full-range medical coding resource. “We can customize a coding program that allows a facility to integrate our outside resources to precisely fit its coding needs by specialty and workload,” says Wagner. “That way the facility can control its coding expenses and profit structure.”
Often facilities worry that outsourcing will displace their coders. “We can hire competent, qualified in-house coders at often substantially higher salaries and benefits, with full-time employment opportunities,” states Wagner. This unique approach gives KIWI-TEK’s clients a comfortable way to enter, test and grow into our outsourced coding resources as their needs and confidence expand.
KIWI-TEK has one of the largest and finest groups of domestic coders with the training, certifications and diverse experience to efficiently and expertly handle medical coding for any type of specialty, diagnosis, and procedure for any healthcare facility. “Our coders offer clients the high performance, convenience and security to validate their outsourcing decision,” affirms Wagner. “We also pay special attention to indoctrinating our coders to the personalities and cultures of the facilities with whom they’ll be working. Even though our coders work remotely, we want the facility to feel like they’re part of their in-house team.”
Forging ahead, KIWI-TEK is constantly evolving their coding services to cost-effectively meet the more granular and demanding requirements and challenging cost structures of healthcare facilities. In addition, the firm is planning to bring in more innovation into its outsourcing approach, by integrating more medical theories and processes. “Everything we do is aimed at offering the most flexible coding plans to optimize accuracy, compliance, turnaround and reimbursement for our clients,” concludes Wagner.