On this blog, we’ve done our best over the last nine months or so to give our readers as many resources as possible to get prepared for the switch to ICD-10 in advance. In fact, back in February I provided our readers with a three-part blog series that provided a detailed look at how some of the more commonly used ICD-9 codes in Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and Plastic Surgery would translate over to ICD-10.

Well, folks… here we are. After years and years of political bickering, last minute delays, and long postponements, the final deadline for ICD-10 implementation in the United States is now less than two short weeks away. There were lot of people who still thought it wouldn’t happen in 2015, and if some had their way it would still not be happening. However, unless some kind of unexpected zero hour delay occurs between now and the October 1 deadline, ICD-10 is coming to a Dermatology practice near you (in fact, it’s coming to your Dermatology practice). It’s the Final Countdown, people!

Unless some kind of unexpected zero hour delay occurs between now and the October 1 deadline, ICD-10 is coming to a Plastic Surgery practice near you (in fact, it’s coming to your Plastic Surgery practice). It’s the Final Countdown, people! Somebody cue me up a 1980s-style “get ready” montage!

Medical practices are gearing up for the ICD-10 transition away from ICD-9 codes, set to take place in just two weeks on October 1. However, four states in the U.S. will be allowed to do things a little differently immediately following the deadline. According to Modern Healthcare, four states have been approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to delay their transitions to direct ICD-10 code processing by the Oct. 1 deadline.

Electronic medical record adoption is on the rise in the United States, as many already know, but have you ever wandered exactly where EMRs are most popular among medical practices? Well know we know, thanks to a report conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Released at the beginning of September, the CDC looked at each state in the U.S. and the percentages of office-based physicians that employed the use of an EMR in their clinic throughout 2014.

Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) forwarded the final rules for Meaningful Use Stage 3, as well as modifications for the Stage 2 final rules, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. While both rules were combined when they were sent on to the OMB on Sept. 3, it still remains to be seen whether or not they will be finalized in this manner (as one final rule or as two separate rules).

One of the unavoidable side effects of the shift to Electronic Medical Records (EMR) has been a nearly exponential surge in the amount of digital data storage being occupied by the healthcare industry, which some are referring to as the “data deluge.” In all honesty, this data flood of epic proportions is something that everyone really should have seen coming a long time ago. It’s been pretty obvious for quite some time. For a number of years already, in fact, medical-related data has been consuming increasingly bigger pieces of the global storage pie.

With just under a month until the ICD-10 deadline on October 1, specialty physicians are doing what they can to ensure their practices are prepared for massive transition.