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At last! Palm based coding tool for "visits" - Compliance Corner, inside.drexel.edu

"We have news so exciting about a Palm based coding tool that we are delaying our discussion of HIPPA until next issue...developed a tool that provides an electronic hand held template for Evaluation and Management (doctor visits) coding. The tool allows you to "tap out" elements of an encounter as you dictate or write the accurate matching and supportive documentation in the medical record. StatCoder, acting as a Palm OS based application, then selects the correct CPT code for billing. A nice plus is that it provides Work and Total RVUs for the proper code selected....Give this tool a try and contact the Compliance Office for training in its proper use. We are already using the tool."

Do it yourself: A personal approach to coding (American Medical News)

"He estimated that if a physician used the software for a Medicare office visit once a day, it would make a difference of $5,000 to $6,000 annually based on the $25 differential between each level of service for Medicare."

Automating E/M Guidelines by Mark T. Parker, M.D., Medical Software Reviews®, July 1999 (excerpts)

"Despite the limited screen size of the PalmPilot, the program works amazingly well."

"Whether or not STAT E&M appeals to you will depend largely on how you feel about the Palm Pilot.  If you do your own coding and are comfortable holding a Dictaphone in one hand and the Palm Pilot's stylus in the other, it really is quite easy to tick off each element as you dictate.  Doing so will allow you to record the CPT code with confidence that your documentation will support it.  The process may even lend improved structure to your dictation."

"You can, of course use the less stringent 1994 guideline, but may be missing out on reimbursement possible if your documentation would qualify for a higher level under the 1997 guidelines.  The 1997 guidelines have a steep learning curve, and that has been the main impetus for automating it.  Some institutions have developed paper checklists that function similarly, but I have yet to see one as easy to use as these programs."

Ratings:    

User reviews from PalmGear H.Q.

30-Jul-00 by [name omitted]
This has been a great program for me. I was seriously undercoding due to my fears of being audited. This helped me document my patient visits properly and shows the correct E and M coding to use for that visit. My billing has gone up by about a thousand dollars a month.

08-Mar-00 by Joseph Meyer
This is the best program I have ever seen that helps the physician decide which billing code to use for a patient visit, in many settings including outpatient and inpatient settings. It uses the 1997 coding guidelines with free update to the 2000 guidelines (that is if Medicare ever gets off their lazy bottom and approves them). I suggest you go visit his internet site (StatCoder.com). Download the program for free and register it for $50.00 if you find it useful. His site also has useful coding links as well. Joseph Meyer MD Internal Medicine

20-Apr-99 by David Hirsh
We are all in debt to Dr. Chen. One thing about this program that really shines is that Dr. Chen included algorithms for single organ system specialties, such as cardiology, ENT, ophthalmology, neurology, psychiatry...Until such time that fully on-line medical records are practical for every exam room, this program will be essential. We spent a few hundred dollars on a windows program for one of our RNs to use to check our coding accuracy/compliance. The problem is that only the physician can really judge such items as severity of illness and risk of interventions. With this program it is practical for the physician to determine the coding in less than 30 seconds! Even when we institute fully electronic records in our practice I anticipate that I would still use this program for ER and inpatient consultation coding. Thank you Dr. Chen.

13-Apr-99 by Oren Mason
This is truly a killer application for the Palm platform. I have tried to stay up to date on E&M coding and couldn't imagine a program that could do it better and faster than I could. I was way wrong. I have used this for only one day and am so impressed that we may buy Palm computers for every doctor in our organization just to be able to code accurately on the fly. It saved me several coding errors and helped me improve documentation for high complexity office visits. If I could offer a suggestion for improvement, I would offer a couple more options for each of the exam bullet points. For example, there is no detail offered for a breast exam. But these are minor quibbles with an outstanding program. Hats off to Dr. Chen.

User reviews from     Click here to go to the actual reviews

[name omitted] - 4-Oct-2000	Rating:
Stat E&M coder paid for itself the day I downloaded it: 5 sick-patient pediatric visits that I would have coded "3's" turned out to be "4's". There is another benefit to the app that benefits both me AND my patients, and that is that the checklist reminds me to remain thorough in my approach to sick patients. In my view, the E&M application is underpriced, but I wont complain TOO loudly!

[name omitted] - 6-Jul-2000	Rating:
Excellent. Good tool for teaching residents. Like the simulator for the PC since we can project it on a large screen and conduct a lecture

[name omitted] - 28-Mar-2000	Rating:
I am a Family Physician and like many of my colleagues I suffer from undercoding and undervaluing the services that I provide my patients. I have found this program to be extremely helpful in guiding me to more accurate coding of my services. My partners are "wow-ed" when I show them this product.

[name omitted] - 3-Jan-2000	Rating:
Well designed software. Helpful in my work.

Other Comments Received From Users:

    Thank you for sharing such a helpful tool with all of us who struggle with our coding. The use of your program has had quite an impact in our office.  I began using it last summer and saw an immediate increase in the revenue I was generating for the clinic. My boss, [omitted], was quick to pick up on the change. It took me a while to convince him to buy a Palm device, but now he and another M.D. in our office are both using them to help improve their coding. Thanks for the help in improving our clinic's "bottom line" while helping us to maintain appropriate levels of documentation.  Sincerely,
[A Family Nurse Practitioner]

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    Comment: excellent program; immediately improved productivity; am trying to convince my partners to get a Palm and use this program! We have 30 providers.

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    BTW great application, worth every penny you charge. I was the first physician in my practice to have a palm, now 5 out of six have one. Two of my partners have obtained Stat E&M Coder.

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    I recently started practicing at a county hospital that has many problems including underbilling. I have found your program very helpful in learning to code properly (i.e not underbill). I had been thinking about developing a similar application myself, but you beat me to it.

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    I represent over 120 physicians that are VERY interested in this fabulous product. I believe this will revolutionize the physician coding industry as it will allow the physician to code correctly and efficiently in a matter of minutes.
[A Compliance Officer]

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    As I continue to use Statcoder on a daily basis, I am more impressed with it's utility all the time. I have shown it to several colleagues ( with new palm computers) and it is catching on in our clinic. I work at a large multi-specialty clinic. Thee are 20 general internists in my department. We have a coding expert who works part-time in our department. He borrowed my Visor for the afternoon last week to run audit cross-checks between Statcoder and his templates and ( not surprising to you I'm sure) he pronounced them to be 100% in agreement.

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..great program and I use it all the time. I never really understood the E & M coding system until I started using your program. Thankyou!