AHIMA: ICD-11 on horizon, but providers must get through ICD-10 first
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“Procrastinating over ICD-10 is not a good thing,” he said. “Healthcare is a very high information-intensive sector and integration is needed. Healthcare information is of vital importance for its patient safety, quality and efficiency.”
Health information systems and standards need to be built jointly. “Health information management in the 21st century equals change,” he said.
ICD-10 transition
“Most countries, most managers, most in the profession are not ready for this change,” said Ustun, asking: “Are you ready?”
The implications of delaying implementation of ICD-10 is that there could be a lack of groupings and necessary details to provide further comparative effectiveness, Ustan noted during a press briefing. “Certainly, Diagnosis-Related Groups can continue to be used with ICD-9, but it’s not sufficient. Other implications in delaying the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 would be a lack of global learning available that comes from insights from other countries who have already implemented ICD,” he noted. Even now, ICD-10 is not medically up-to-date. “If you don’t have it, you won’t capture it,” he said.
“The ID infrastructure for ICD codes is taking a list, which is a flat list, a tabular list, and does not use all of its functionality. If you wanted to drill down to see how many diabetic patients there are in Salt Lake City and how many are not taking their medication, you wouldn’t be able to answer with this kind of list,” Ustun said during the press briefing. “If you don’t adopt to new standards, the effect on your own interoperability issues is that you can’t communicate, which ultimately hinders everyone.”
Ustun said that when WHO developed ICD-9 in 1975, the U.S., as a participant in WHO, implemented ICD-9CM in 1979. WHO developed ICD-10 codes in 1990, and it will have taken the U.S. 23 years until it implements ICD-10CM in 2013.
Ustun wondered what will happen when WHO begins developing ICD-11 codes in 2015, and how long after their development it will take the U.S. to implement ICD-11CM. He said the U.S. delegation to WHO knows that ICD-11 is coming, though they have said they would deal with the transition later. Some delegates even asked if the U.S. could skip ICD-10 and go directly ICD-11.
In commending AHIMA for its work, Ustun said that the association’s biggest asset is its knowledge. “We should think about building things together,” Ustun said during address.
Preparing for ICD-11
Through collaboration between WHO-AHIMA, progress can occur. “The transition to ICD-10 is inevitable, and will have a positive impact on business applications, the coding of clinical information and classification linkages with SNOMED,” he said. “Ultimately, this will lead to getting the EHR right.”
Ustun encouraged those interested in learning more about the early work on ICD-11 to visit ICD11 alpha site to view descriptions of the codes, and search by either code or descriptions. Those visiting the site can also read and post comments about the suggested ICD-11 definitions.
The construction of ICD-11 is an internet-based, permanent platform that includes digital curations, and the ability for enhanced discussions and peer review. In encouraging further participating in the ICD-11 process, Ustun said, “it is you who will help build ICD-11.”