Bharon Hoag is senior consultant for the ACOM Healthcare Business Consulting Group. He is certified as a professional coder and teaches coding and case management strategies to DCs across the United States. Contact Mr. Hoag with questions or comments regarding this article at www.acomconsulting.com.
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On Jan. 24 1978, the New Zealand governor-general referred to a Commission of Inquiry an investigation to determine the desirability of providing for reimbursement of chiropractic benefits under the New Zealand Social Security Act and the New Zealand Accident Compensation Act. The commision's findings would impact chiropractic worldwide for decades to come.
As chiropractors, we observe signs and symptoms as colors on an artist’s palette, melding them together to determine how they affect the speed, fluency, quality, and ease of activities of daily living. We communicate this vision to our patients in a report of findings. However, converting that vision into the International Classification of Diseases Clinical Modification (ICD-CM) coding language presents challenges.
After more than 12 years of effort, the Pro Baseball Chiropractic Society (PBCS) has member DCs serving every team in MLB. Working as part of the health care teams with athletic trainers and medical physicians, these highly skilled chiropractors help keep their players on the field and in optimal health.
