Billing and Coding Education and Knowledge Among Military Orthopaedic Surgeons
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55576/job.v2i2.15Keywords:
Billing, coding, education, practice managementAbstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current level of billing and coding knowledge among resident and staff military orthopaedic surgeons.
Design: Prospective survey, training, and assessment.
Setting: Academic Military Level 1 Trauma Center.
Intervention: Voluntary, anonymous survey relating to practice setting, billing, and coding practices, type of residency training and prior education on the subject. A quiz consisting of 23 questions to assess billing and coding knowledge.
Main outcome measurement: Survey results and quiz scores.
Results and conclusions: We had 68 responses comprised of 23 residents and 45 staff orthopaedic surgeons. Among residents, 86.14% (20/23) reported that they code encounters yet only 17.39% (4/23) responded that they have had formal training on billing and coding. 91.30% (21/23) felt that this topic should be taught in residency training. Among staff surgeons, 93.33% (42/45) code their own encounters and 42.22% (19/45) reported formal training on billing and coding. 93.33% (42/45) of staff felt that billing and coding should be taught in residency. The average quiz scores among residents and staff were 43.48% and 58.36%, respectively (p<0.0001). Scores among those with prior training in billing and coding were significantly higher overall (p= 0.033). Among staff there was no significant differences in scores related to years of experience, residency type, working with residents, years remaining in the military or participation in off-duty employment.
Conclusion: There remains a paucity of formal training on billing and coding among military orthopaedic surgeons and this problem is not unique to military orthopaedic residency training programs. Those with formal training in billing and coding performed significantly better than those without, indicating that formal billing and coding training as part of graduate medical education may be effective in improving billing and coding knowledge among military orthopaedic surgeons.
Level of Evidence: IV; survey
Keywords: Billing, Coding, Medical education, Practice management.
References
Thomas, N., Sandler, A., Fernandez, I., Simson, J., Tihista, M., Wells, M., & Childs, B. (2022). Orthopaedic Business is the Focus of 3.4% of Articles in Top General Orthopaedic Journals. Journal of Orthopaedic Business, 2(1), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.55576/job.v2i1.11
Clement ND, Murray IR, Nie YX, McBirnie JM. Cracking the code: the accuracy of coding shoulder procedures and the repercussions. Scottish Medical Journal. 2013 May;58(2):109-12.
Baron S, Duclos C, Thoreux P. Orthopedics coding and funding. Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research. 2014 Feb 1;100(1):S99-106.
Edgar L, McLean S, Hogan SO, Hamstra S, Holmboe ES. The milestones guidebook. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). 2020.
Varacallo M, Herman M. Keeping Up With the Orthopaedic In-Training Examination: National Survey on Orthopaedic Residency Training in Practice Management. Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances. 2019 Jan 1;28(2):81-8.
Kellam JF. The Core Competencies for General Orthopaedic Surgeons. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2017; 99: 175-181.
Gill BJ, Schutt RC. Practice Management Education in Orthopaedic Surgical Residencies. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007; 89: 216-219.
Wiley KF, Yousuf T, Pasque CB, Yousuf K. Billing and Coding Knowledge: A Comparative Survey of Professional Coders, Practicing Orthopedic Surgeons, and Orthopedic Residents. Am J Orthopedics. 2014; E107-111.
Varacallo MA, Wolf M, Herman MJ. Improving Orthopedic Resident Knowledge of Documentation, Coding, and Medicare Fraud. J Surg Education. 2014; 74: 794-798.
Lusco VC, Martinez SA, Hiram PC. Program directors in surgery agree that residents should be formally trained in business and practice management. Am J Surg. 2005; 189; 11-13.
Fakhry SM, Robinson L, Hendershot K, Reines HD. Surgical residents’ knowledge of documentation and coding for professional services: an opportunity for a focused educational offering. Am J Surg. 2007; 194: 263-267.
Ng M, Lawless ST. What if Pediatric Residents Could Bill for Their Outpatient Services?. Pediatrics. 2001; 108: 827-834.
Benke JR, Lin SY, Ishman SL. Int J Pedi Otorhinolaryngology. 2013; 77: 399-401.
Ghaderi KF, Schmidt ST, Drolet BC. Coding and Billing in a Surgical Education: A Systems-Based Practice Education Program. J Surg Education. 2017; 74: 199-202.
Jones K, Lebron RA, Mangram A, Dunn E. Practice management education during surgical residency. Am J Surg. 2008; 196: 878-882.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Journal of Orthopaedic Business
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
