The National Coding Centre – An Overview

Medical Record Administrators have been aware of the need for a National Coding Authority in Australia for many years. With the establishment of the National Reference Centre for Classification in Health in 1991 and the subsequent call for tenders for the establishment of a Coding Authority the movement to develop much needed standards, improve data and coding quality began to take shape. This paper outlines the lead up to the call for tenders, the terms of reference and objectives of the Coding Centre, the proposed staff, and the work program for the first three years.

Assessing the Impact of Automated Coding & Grouping Technology at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney

In 1992 the Hospital recognised that the existing casemix data reporting systems were too removed from individual patients to have any meaning for clinicians, analysis of the data was difficult and the processes involved in the DRG assignment were subject to considerable error. Consequently, the Hospital approved the purchase of technology that would facilitate the coding and grouping process. The impact of automated coding and grouping technology is assessed by three methods. Firstly, by looking at by-product information systems, secondly, through subjective responses by coders to a satisfaction questionnaire and, thirdly, by objectively measuring hospital activity and identified coding elements before and after implementation of the 3M technology. It was concluded that while the 3M Coding and Grouping software should not be viewed as a panacea to all coding and documentation ills, objective evidence and subjective comment from the coders indicated an improvement in data quality and more accurate DRG assignment. Development of an in-house casemix information system and a feedback mechanism between coder and clinician had been effected. The product had been used as a training tool for coders and had also proven to be a useful auditing tool. Finally, linkage with other systems and the generation of timely reports had been realised.

Nonverbal Communication: An Essential Skill in the Workplace

Communication is carried on at many levels and through many channels simultaneously, and interpretation of a verbal message is dependent upon the manner in which it is conveyed and the gestures and expressions which accompany it. Nonverbal communication has been claimed to account for up to 93% of the impact of any verbal message. There are many types of nonverbal communication, most of which are usually used unconsciously and may be interpreted in many ways, often being regarded as a more reliable source of information than the spoken word, particularly regarding emotion. The following paper will examine the major types of nonverbal communication and their role in day to day human interaction in the workplace. It will examine the ways that understanding of the meanings of nonverbal cues can assist in both interpretation and conveyance of unspoken messages, and the role that space, the environment and other physical factors play in successful communication.