Ambulatory
Payment
Classifications

C – Communication and Education

As we learned in the DRG environment, training and education are key to helping all levels of staff understand the operations and clinical implications of a new and radically different reimbursement model for outpatient services. The tasks that relate to the education of key operations and clinical staff include:

• Training on Evaluation and Management code assignment.
• Clinical manager training on order entry impact on APC payment.
• Clinically specific training for physicians on documentation and coding (especially E/M).
• APC overview training for APC Task Force members, key Senior and Department Management Staff and the Medical Staff.
• Coder education including the non-professional coding staff involved in data collection that results in "coding".
• APC financial impact education for APC Task Force members, key Senior and Department Management Staff and the Medical Staff.
• Resource utilization and cost management training for clinical managers.