ST. LOUIS, January 9, 2012 – Gateway EDI, an electronic data interchange (EDI) provider, announced a strategic alliance with AAPC, the premier training and credentialing organization in the medical coding industry. Starting with a webinar on January 24, the partnership will feature web-based educational resources to aid healthcare practices in preparing for the ICD-10 code set, which takes effect in October 2013.
“As part of Gateway EDI’s commitment to provide clients with effective, easy-to-use tools and support, we are delighted to partner with AAPC for the most comprehensive and user-friendly ICD-10 resources on the web,” said Charlotte Martin, president and chief operating officer, Gateway EDI. “We look forward to working together on supporting physicians and their staff throughout the ICD-10 transition.”
January 24 Webinar for CEU Credit
Gateway EDI and AAPC will host a free webinar on January 24, for which attendees can receive one continuing education unit (CEU) credit. Focused on implementation planning, AAPC director of ICD-10 development and training Kim Reid will provide instruction for medical practices, including:
• Showing the impact of ICD-10 changes for providers
• Assisting planners in developing an ICD-10 action plan
• Case study examples and lessons learned from other countries
• Anatomy and pathophysiology needs in ICD-10
Webinar registration is available online now. In addition, the Gateway EDI ICD-10 website offers medical practices easy access to current updates and user-friendly resources for each phase of ICD-10 implementation.
Finding reliable, user-friendly ICD-10 education to meet emerging needs is a growing concern among medical practices and billing services.
“Beyond the impact of ICD-10 transition on how we work, my biggest concern is how we are going to be able to communicate and stress the importance of documentation to our providers,” said Mary Ellen Shea, coding manager at Hawthorn Physician Services Corporation, which specializes in billing and practice management for hospital-based physician practices. “As I learn more, it’s clear that there is a greater need for education than what’s been available. I’m looking for seminars and resources to get equipped to help providers document for ICD-10, and to educate everyone who is not a coder on what they still need to know and do for ICD-10 transition.”
Practices looking for ICD-10 planning tools can find many options on the AAPC website, such as:
• ICD-9 to ICD-10 crosswalk (by specialty) guide featuring quick-reference cards for practices’ top 50 most frequently used codes
• Provider office changes map identifying impacts for various operations and staff
“We welcome the opportunity to work with Gateway EDI to provide the resources and needed ICD-10 training to such a large audience of providers,” said Bevan Erickson, vice president of marketing at AAPC. “The challenges of ICD-10 can be overcome with early preparation and Gateway EDI is clearly committed to keeping their clients well equipped for the transition.”
About Gateway EDI
Healthcare providers trust Gateway EDI’s complete support system of people and tools to maximize their revenue and increase cash flow. Based in St. Louis, Mo., Gateway EDI was founded almost 30 years ago by a physician who was unsatisfied with the claims processing tools available at the time and created new solutions focused on better managing the revenue cycle for medical practices. Today, more than 90,000 physicians continue to count on Gateway EDI’s fully-integrated suite of advanced tools and proactive service team to monitor, catch and fix claims issues before they can impact a practice. For more information, visit www.gatewayedi.com.
About AAPC
The AAPC was founded in 1988 to provide education and professional certification to physician-based medical coders and to elevate the standards of medical coding by providing student training, certification, ongoing education, networking and job opportunities. All certifications provide a working knowledge to support cleaner claim submission resulting in more accurate coding, faster reimbursement and fewer denials. The AAPC offers continuing education through local chapters, workshops, monthly newsmagazine (Coding Edge), publications and conferences. AAPC educational offerings cover both pre-certification needs and post-certification CEU requirements.
