title: Physicians' Outlook on ICD-10-CM/PCS and Its Effect on Their Practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The United States is one of the last countries to change from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM/PCS. The compliance date for implementation of ICD-10-CM/PCS is expected to fall on October 1, 2015.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate physicians' perceptions on the change from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM/PCS and its effect on their practice, determine how HIM professionals can assist in this transition, and assess what resources are needed to aid in the transition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty physicians were asked to participate in one of three focus groups. Twelve physicians (60 percent) agreed to participate. Top concerns included electronic health record software readiness, increase in documentation specificity and time, ability of healthcare professionals to learn a new language, and inadequacy of current training methods and content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians expressed that advantages of ICD-10-CM/PCS were effective data analytics and complexity of patient cases with more specific codes. Health information management professionals were touted as needed during the transition to create simple, clear specialty guides and crosswalks as well as education and training tools specific for physicians.
authors.affiliation: Valerie Watzlaf, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA, is an associate professor in the Department of Health Information Management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Watzlaf
authors.affiliation: Zahraa Alkarwi, MS, HIS, is a doctoral student in the Department of Health Information Management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Zahraa
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alkarwi
authors.affiliation: Sandy Meyers, RHIA, is a research specialist at Care Communications in Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.affiliation: Patty Sheridan, MBA, RHIA, FAHIMA, is president of Care Communications in Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Patty
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sheridan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D059019:Clinical Coding; D003200:Computer User Training; D004282:Documentation; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D063025:Health Information Management / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States
keywords: ICD-10-CM/PCS; electronic health record; focus group; health information management; physicians