The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), in partnership with ImplementHIT, has announced the launch of its latest ICD-10 training solution, the Clinical Documentation for ICD-10 by Specialty: Principles and Practice modules.

As the clock winds down to the ICD-10 implementation deadline, physicians and clinicians consistently cite training as a primary concern to be ready by Oct. 1, 2014. The new AHIMA tool consists of short, self-paced training that doctors can access anytime, anywhere, say AHIMA officials. The program customizes learning by delivering three- to five-minute modules that cover each clinical specialty’s most seen conditions and allows further targeting to a physician’s 10 to 20 most billed diagnoses, making the learning focused, time efficient, and highly relevant.

[See also: Mostashari: no more extensions for ICD-10.] 

As one of four cooperating parties responsible for maintenance and guidance of ICD-10 national coding policy, AHIMA best understands ICD-10 coding and documentation and the optimized training methods for learning and retention, say AHIMA officials.

"AHIMA is here to help physicians, practitioners and all healthcare stakeholders prepare for the transition to ICD-10, a robust coding system that will lead to improved patient care, reduced costs and appropriate reimbursement," said AHIMA CEO Lynne Thomas Gordon. "Our training solution was designed in a specific and differentiated way to maximize the benefit for busy physicians."

Written by physicians, clinical documentation improvement specialists and medical coding experts, the learning solution provides bite-sized and peer-rated learning for busy physicians and physician practices.  Training modules are specialty- and condition-specific and filled with case-based, real-life examples. They were designed specifically for physicians and clinicians, and can be used as an efficient learning, reference or reinforcement tool.

[See also: Survey shows undertain future for ICD-10.]

The methodology of using specific targeting of conditions and diagnoses were designed to maximize training efficiency.

"Physicians think about diagnosis, not chapters in an ICD-10 book," said Andres Jimenez, MD, one of the authors of the physician practice training and CEO of ImplementHIT. "Physicians have a finite amount of time; why should they spend a block of time training to document a condition they will rarely or ever see? That’s why targeted training is essential. Another benefit is that the modules are accessible and designed for follow-up training after the implementation deadline to answer additional questions once physicians begin to use ICD-10 daily."