ICD-10 codes enable dermatology clinics, insurance companies, and government agencies to share information about a patient’s condition. They organize a tremendous number of dermatology diagnoses into a standardized format all three stakeholders can understand. ICD-10 stands for the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, created and maintained by the World Health Organization. WHO further divides diagnoses into ICD-10-CM (primarily used in outpatient and clinical settings) and ICD-10-PCS (primarily used in inpatient and hospital settings). Just as ICD-10 codes classify diseases, CPT codes classify procedures. Coders in a dermatology practice need to be well trained in both coding languages. Note: This content has been updated since the original publish date.

Part 3: The G20 & DoD Hacks The cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Labs announced this morning that a team of criminal hackers have stolen an estimated total of $1 billion from over a hundred banks in at least twenty-five different countries (including the U.S.), in what security experts are calling one of the largest bank heists in history. Kaspersky representatives are quoted as saying it is “by far the most successful criminal cyber campaign we have ever seen.” Exactly how the hackers gained access to so many bank networks has yet to be disclosed, but some theorize that spear-phishing emails or unauthorized password sharing are possible causes. Then again, the cause might be the same as that of the two hacks we’ll be discussing in this third and final installment—the 2013 G20 Incident and the Department of Defense (DoD) Worm Infection—both of which were the result of mobile storage devices infected with malware.

Medicine is a field that presents a unique host of challenges when it comes to marketing. It is vital to the health and longevity of your practice, whether it be a specialty-driven office or a general practitioner, that you not only retain current clients but also regularly attract new ones. Many individuals within the medical field might be surprised to learn that word of mouth marketing can still make a difference in today's high tech world. Though it may seem somewhat outdated, this form of communication and advertising is still incredibly valuable for doctors looking to grow their client base and boost patient retention. Take a look at a few factors to consider when approaching word of mouth marketing.

Part 2: The Snowden Incident In Silicon Valley today, President Obama is hosting a White House summit on Cybersecurity. A gathering of top tech experts will be there to give lectures and provide input on the subject, including Apple CEO Tim Cook. However, a large number of the best-known senior tech executives will be notably absent from the summit—Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Marissa Mayer (Yahoo), Larry Page (Google), Eric Schmidt (Google), and even Bill Gates (Microsoft) all chose to decline their invitations. All of them sent corporate information security officers to attend in their steads.

EDGE, Nextech’s first Annual User Conference, is less than two weeks away. We’ve planned three days and nights chock full of networking events, information-packed sessions and collaboration opportunities. Our expo hall will be filled with exhibitors aiming to improve your practice functions, and our product experts at our Innovation Station can help you fine-tune your workflow and answer your specific questions in detail. We will be rolling out several innovative features during the conference that we can’t wait to share with you. But let’s face it – a part of you is probably headed to EDGE to escape the cold, eat, drink and experience the Sunshine State during this ideal time of year.

Part 1: The Sony Pictures Hack The recent hack of Anthem, the second largest health insurance provider in the U.S., has once again made the topic of cybersecurity painfully relevant to those who work in the healthcare industry. Initial estimates revealed that as many as 80 million Anthem customers had large portions of their records comprised (possibly more). While Anthem insists that no medical or credit card data was stolen, these records still contained a wealth of personal information (all worth a fortune on any of the darknet black market data exchanges)—customer names, dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses, places of employment, and even income data was stolen in the cyberattack. Not only were customer records compromised, but those of Anthem employees as well. Even their CEO, Joseph Swedish, had his personal information stolen during the breach. Anthem has not yet officially disclosed exactly how the hack occurred, except to say that it was a “very sophisticated cyberattack.”