Prioritize Data Organization
Question: I’m going through past audits and finding them so hard to search, as codes seem to be lumped together per audit. I think it makes more sense to put one code per cell, but my superior says they’ve always done it this way. What are some reasons to put one value per cell? Utah Subscriber Answer: For accuracy and specificity, it’s the best practice to make sure you’re writing codes as they appear in ICD-10-CM or CPT® code sets and indexes. For example, it may seem easier to write a code without being persnickety about characters, like Z8673 versus Z86.73 (Personal history of transient ischemic attack (TIA), and cerebral infarction without residual deficits); or to lump several codes that you’re targeting together as you organize. But that strategy can create more work or limit the functionality of your tools. When you have the code written correctly, including proper period placement per the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, you’re better able to search and evaluate the codes, both within your spreadsheet and via other resources. Similarly, putting one code per spreadsheet cell most fully enables you and the software to sort your data, which can reveal patterns and allow more accessible analysis. Even if your superior has always organized audit findings in a particular way, you can perhaps show them how to search for specific codes within a spreadsheet, or how to use the Sort & Filter tools, as some basic examples of why inputting codes individually gives the auditor much more flexibility to evaluate the findings. Rachel Dorrell, MA, MS, CPC-A, CPPM, Production Editor, AAPC 
