This family doctor estimates that only one-third of his time is spent with patients. The remainder is spent charting and coding. To get an idea of how big coding is to a medical practice, consider this description:

At my residency, we’re required to spend every Monday learning about this denizen of Isla de la Accountantista. This is the time when we dutifully file into a room and receive lectures from coders – people who generate entire yearly salaries (with full benefits) for their ability to move money from one organization to the next. They work in the health care field, yet could easily never interact with a patient – the one actually generating this money in the first place – in any form. The movement of money in medicine is so cumbersome (in America), full-time salaries are devoted just to making sure the right amount goes from point A to point B.

With ICD-10 on the horizon, the coding morass is about to get exponentially worse. Time that could be spent with patients will go to learn the intricacies of medical coding.

And don’t hold your breath for electronic medical records to make things easier. If anything, it’s going to add to the administrative burden.

topics: patients, coding