The International Classification for Diseases (ICD) is now being evolved into a new system. ICD-10, as it is known, is a set of over 140,000 codes physicians all across the country will use come October 1, 2014, replacing the 30-year-old system of ICD-9.

The ICD-10 includes more classification of diseases than its predecessor, and makes use of the alphanumeric series. ICD-10 allows for the addition of more codes which have been approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In the earlier system (ICD-9) codes were limited, and physicians often had problems classifying diseases adequately.

ICD-9 codes have become outdated, lack specificity, and are only used by the United States. Every other major country is using ICD-10, and the switch to these new codes will help physicians be in line with other practices worldwide. This will also help improve overall patient experience, usability, quality of service, while resulting in financial and managerial improvements.

However, the process of implementing ICD-10 codes is not going to be easy. It requires training and implementation, and can take up to a year. Considering the fact that October 2013 is almost upon us, the new set of codes need to be implemented as soon as possible. According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the shift to ICD-10 broadly comprises of about two months of planning, and eight to ten months of communications and testing for small and medium practices. Roughly speaking, if practices across the country start the implementation process now, they will be racing against time to be ready for ICD-10 before the deadline expires. In some cases, on-the-job training will continue until December 2014 to make staff more accustomed to using the new codes.

Complying with ICD-10 codes will certainly take healthcare industry in the U.S. into a new era of reforms. They will also allow for better quality measurement through improved identification of diseases.

Non-compliance with ICD-10 also poses many risks for stakeholders involved. Risk of incorrect and improper payments will increase if practices stick to the old method of disease identification. Not only this, the CMS and HHS will liaise together to impose penalties for those practices which do not follow the ICD-10 codes by October 2014.

Time for implementation of ICD-10 is now. Practices across the country need to start the implementation process. The task may seem cumbersome at this point in time, but in the long run, will certainly make your workflow better, and will improve the overall quality of the healthcare industry.