– Audit and CDI Business Grew Significantly by More Than 140% in 2017 –

Aviacode, a leading provider of technology-enabled medical coding and compliance services, announced today that the volume of its medical coding audit and clinical documentation improvement (CDI) business grew significantly by more than 140% in 2017. This significant growth is a result of healthcare providers who have long relied on revenue cycle management practices to drive and ensure financial performance. Evidenced by The Advisory Board Company analysis where an average 350-bed hospital has overlooked opportunities of up to $22 million in revenue capture, coding audits and CDI are being leveraged to collect all the revenue to which providers are entitled. Aviacode services coding audits and documentation improvement projects with a team of experienced and certified coding auditors utilizing Aviacode’s proprietary ProAuditor software.

“Medical coding audits and documentation improvement are the drivers for improved coding performance for faster reimbursements and revenue optimization,” said Keith Hagen, Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Aviacode has invested in both people and technology to meet a growing customer demand for audits and documentation improvement.”

Aviacode delivered a broad array of services from audits, documentation improvement, and training to inpatient facilities and physician groups, nationwide. A sample of these projects include:

Inpatient Facility Audits

Aviacode conducted an inpatient facility audit for a short-term acute care hospital serving its community for over 50 years. The audit encompassed reviewing the encounters for accuracy of MS-DRG assignment, principal diagnosis code assignment, secondary diagnosis code assignment, ICD-10-PCS Code assignment, and areas for documentation improvement which would impact revenue. The MS-DRG optimization project itself found a 13% net increase in billable revenue due to coding modifications and documentation improvement.

Physician Group Audits

A physician group with over 300 physicians was concerned about clinical accuracy, along with low physician engagement in addressing clinical documentation. Starting with an initial 200 encounter audit of select providers for E/M leveling and documentation, Aviacode demonstrated the value of coding improvements.  The results have been higher physician engagement, an ongoing audit program to monitor compliance standards, and ongoing accurate coding.

Audits and Training

A medical group with over 20 specialties was concerned about a CMS audit. Aviacode conducted a preliminary audit of over 1,000 encounters, on-site training with each of the over 50 providers, and provided post-training audits.  The training and audits have been reoccurring every six months.  The results have been an over 20% improvement in documentation and over 15% increase in supportable billable revenue.

Clinical Documentation Improvements

An orthopedic medical specialty group was at high risk for coding denials. Aviacode conducted a clinical documentation program focused on reducing coding denials, physician education, and minimizing manual pre-claim staff corrections. The results were a 75% reduction in the number of surgeries and a 50% reduction in the number of E/M claims needing manual review.

In addition, Aviacode provides facility, professional fee, and HCC/risk adjustment coding services to improve revenue efficiency, cash flow, and compliance.

ABOUT AVIACODE

Aviacode is an industry leader in technology-enabled medical coding and compliance services, which has been meeting the needs for hospitals, physician groups, surgery centers, and payers for nearly 20 years. Our certified coders are experienced in facility, pro-fee, and HCC/risk adjustment coding for a wide range of specialties. Using innovative technology, our proprietary workflow helps improve coding quality, reduce risk, accelerate the revenue cycle, and optimize reimbursements. At Aviacode, our goal is to find a better way — building medical coding solutions that maximize revenue efficiency, strengthen cash flow, improve coding accuracy, and enforce coding standards. For more information, visit www.aviacode.com or call 855.438.2634.