LETTER TO EDITOR

The Impact of Medical Coding on Healthcare Transformation and Bridging the Gap in Pakistan

DOWNLOAD PDF

By Sidra Abid1, Maha Zehra1, Sharmeen Fatima1, Humna Rafiq1

AFFLIATIONS

  1. Community Dentistry Department, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36283/PJMD13-1/024

How to cite: Abid S, Zehra M, Fatima S, Rafiq H. The Impact of Medical Coding on Healthcare Transformation and Bridging the Gap in Pakistan. Pak J Med Dent. 2024;13(1): 126-127. Doi: 10.36283/PJMD13-1/024

Dear Editor,

In the field of health care, medical coding entails translating diagnoses, treatments, and medical procedures into standardized alphanumeric numbers.  This process is critical in establishing reliable and precise health records among various healthcare providers.

Pakistan’s healthcare system encounters accessibility and efficiency issues, resulting in billing errors, delayed reimbursement, as well as substantial compromises in patient treatment. The implementation of ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding systems aids in the classification and retrieval of medical information, which is critical for health managers’ decision-making. The adoption of ICD-11 in Pakistan’s healthcare system is an important opportunity to improve diagnostic and data precision1. The use of medical coding documentation is critical for accounting precision, avoiding errors, and optimizing reimbursement processes, improving the financial viability of healthcare facilities in resource-constrained situations. Medical coding accuracy is critical because coding errors can lead to erroneous information and have an impact on planning, research, and regulation2. Another crucial issue is transparency in finance. This not only ensures the financial stability of healthcare facilities but also helps to more efficient resource allocation, which benefits patients.

Policymakers can make informed decisions about public health concerns and resource allocation by analyzing trends and patterns in health data.  One study reported that the average accuracy of coding for major medical diagnoses was 70%, implying that 30% of medical records contained coding mistakes3. The application of digital platforms and electronic records can help to improve healthcare delivery efficiency. Factors such as the widespread use of standard abbreviations and comprehensible files can have an impact on coding accuracy 4. Additionally, coding audits should be performed regularly, with a focus on improving the relationship between coders and healthcare professionals, offering coder training, and improving the documentation process5. Medical coding aids in digital transformation, optimizing information administration, and increasing interoperability across various healthcare institutions in Pakistan’s healthcare system.  Furthermore, it will be critical to prioritize medical coding regulations and procedures, education, and training to ensure a workforce with the essential abilities to stay up with technological advances.

The medical coding industry in Pakistan has a promising future, owing to many improvements. The use of electronic health records, or EHRs, and digital health systems will aid in the transition to more advanced coding methodologies. When AI and machine learning for language analysis are utilized in medical coding operations, they will be more accurate and efficient, especially when dealing with multilingual patients.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

None

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

No conflict of interest.

AUTHORS CONTRIBUTION

All authors contributed equally.

REFERENCES

  1. Alvi AR. Impact of Rural Medical Care in Remote Mountainous Region of Pakistan: Challenges and opportunities. Pak J Med Sci 2009;25(1):131-136.
  2. Aslam F, Khan FU, Yue Y. Rational Prescription and Cost-Effective Medication: Challenges and Opportunities in Pakistan. Innov Pharm. 2020;11(4):10.24926/iip.v11i4.1613. doi: 10.24926/iip.v11i4.1613.
  3. Naeem W, Nadeem HA, Javed A, Ahmed W. Digital Health and Future of Healthcare in Pakistan. Annals of King Edward Medical University, 2022;28(2),268-272. https://doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v28i2.5120
  4. Butt WA, Shahood Q, Farooqi WH, et al. Healthcare hackathons: fostering medical education through innovation in a developing country: a case study from Pakistan. BMJ Innov, 2020;0:1–6. doi:10.1136/bmjinnov-2019-000400.
  5. Mirhashemi SH, Ramezanghorbani N, Asadi F, Rangraz, MH. Auditing the Accuracy of Medical Diagnostic Coding based on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2020; 22(9):e99. doi: 10.32592/IRCMJ.2020.22.9.99

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the CreativeCommons Attribution License (CC BY) 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/