Codectomy
A Premier Coding Workstation that helps increase productivity and accuracy
Codectomy is Plato's advanced coding workstation that helps streamline and organize your coding effort.
The Codectomy Panel
Panels are a defining feature of the Codectomy solution.
A panel is a window containing a meaningful collection of clinical codes or other content. Common examples of panels include:
- E-book entries/coding lookups,
- ICD-10 diagnosis codes,
- ICD-10, CPT or OPCS4 procedure codes,
- Detailed Event data,
- Patient demographic data,
- Weighting or Reimbursement Calculations,
- Applicable Local or national coding rule,
- Known patient comorbidities/health shadow,
- Log files or messages relating to the selected event,
- 3rd Party add-ons for best of breed solutions.
Default Layout
Panels can be individually sized and positioned to make best use of available screen real estate. Supervisors can define a facility panel layout which is the default for a new coder. Then coders can be granted privileges to customize their own layout and save it for future use, or revert to the facility default.
Depending on need, panels can be sized and positioned across one or multiple monitors.
Reactive AR-DRG Grouper
Codectomy comes with a reactive AR-DRG grouping engine. "Reactive" means that as the coder works, Codectomy displays AR-DRG changes in real time as each edit is made, along with advisories on sequencing or known comorbidities that change DRG. Split-second updates are possible because Codectomy uses an AR-DRG grouper written by Plato's Artificial Intelligence engine that "reads" the IHACPA spec and delivers blazingly quick C++ and Rushmore routines.
Rules Engine
To reduce bill-backs or rejects, mant facilities have "scrubbing" or rule checking engines to identify issues before Events are sent. Codectomy refines this even more by bringing the rules to coding time, when the Event is fresh in the coder's mind and is easily remedied. The Codectomy Rules Engine allows supervisors to set detailed national or local coding rules. These are checked in real time as the coder works, with flags raised if a rule is breached. Alerts cannot be submitted until remedied; Warnings can still be completed, but are likely to cause a reject.
The example shown here includes a Covid rule to ensure that a Covid 19 code has a description that matches the code, and a Mesh rule to ensure that a Mesh procedure has a detailed description.
Comorbidities
If the Comorbidity panel is open, Codectomy identifies comorbidities that can affect AR-DRG or WIES. This matters because an ICD-10 code that contributes to complexity of one DRG may have no impact on another. This Codectomy feature helps coders focus on cc/mcc that definitely affect care complexity for this episode.
This example shows potential CCL contribution in a jurisdiction using AR-DRG V7; value is even greater for AR-DRG V10 or V10 with millions of DCLs (Diagnosis Complexity Levels).
Reactive e-Book
Similarly, the reactive e-Book panel means the coder can see an clinical code's official volume content including exclusions and notes at a glance. This is achieved by converting the IHACPA's HTML5 and CSS ICD-10 volumes into compressed metadata so that any part of documentation comprising thousands of pages, is instantly visible whenever the coder clicks a code or searches.
Diagnosis plus Procedure
Traditional code search tools focus on diagnosis and procedure separately, but the Codectomy tool searches for both as well as official advisories, displaying matching content all at once. This allows efficient coding of common procedure-diagnosis combinations as well as prompting coders for applicable advisories.
Encoder Interfaces
Plato has interfaced to prevalent encoder products since the 1990s. Codectomy checks the PC for registered encoder products and if a compatible encoder is found, an Encoder button is displayed for coder use. This allows coders to make full use of advanced Encoder features while enjoying the interfacing and reporting options provided by Codectomy.
Work Queues and Event Lists
Using Codectomy, supervisors can define Work Queues or other lists of events using Plato's advanced Event List manager.
A Work Queue is a special kind of Event List: every uncoded Event goes into one work queue, whereas events can appear in many Event Lists. Both are defined using Plato's powerful rules engine allowing supervisors and managers to group Events by any available data field/s.
Once Work Queues are defined, the Codectomy Work Queue processor "drops" each unfinalized event through the queue definitions until it meets a match. The Event goes into that Work Queue. This allows supervisors to sequence definitions for additional control. For example, a "Hold" Queue might be defined to allow 5 days post discharge for pathology results to come through, or special Work Queues for Events that have been in coding for too long, or are about to exceed allowed coding time.
Coder Lists, Audit and Physician Queries
As coders work on Events, those Events are added to the coder's own Event List where they can stay until completion. This makes it easier for coders to defer coding pending more urgent work, or to pause while awaiting additional records. Coders can add comments and annotations to remind themselves why the Event is held. The coder can also flag an Event for Audit or supervisor review, which moves their Event to a supervisor List. The supervisor can edit the event and return it to the coder with comments and annotations, or mark it finalized. Events can also be flagged for Physician Query. If the facility has a dedicated messaging system, a script can be created to automatically add the query there.
Scripts and Extensibility
Incoming and Outgoing Events and code sets can by handled using standard HL7 or using special scripted interfaces to match facility need. Codectomy includes a 4GL scripting engine that simplifies interfaces and allows special local customizations that reduce cost and maximize functionality for customers.
Audit and Training Mode
In additional to standard coding, Codectomy can be used for training or audit purposes. Using the Event list manager, you can define a snapshot of Events for Training or Audit. These can be split into an encrypted standalone file where the trainee or Auditor can make edits and annotations on real Events, but without affecting the Live data or requiring extra databases. At the completion of work, you can decide whether to merge their work back into the coding database, or keep it separate as an educational resource.
Ask for a Demo!
There's lots of other reporting features and functionality- but the easiest way to see how Codectomy can make a difference is to ask for a demonstration. We'd love to show you how Codectomy can help streamline and empower your coding effort!