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as well as a reprimand from the chief of surgery.
The transition to ICD-10 has indeed generated many growing pains.
I used to receive warnings from my beloved billers that my operative
notes were not signed soon enough. Now, I receive hate
e-mails because I signed them too quickly … before they could be
reviewed. Time to audition for The Biggest Loser!
ICD-10 was created with the best of intentions: to track patient out-
comes with more detail and certainty. Thankfully, I have been blessed
with competent and, for the most part, patient billers. The hate mails
are decreasing and I am finally learning to document "failure of con-
servative therapy" — even when I am taking out a bullet from a shoul-
der. OSM
Dr. Kelly (johndak4@gmail.com) is an orthopedic surgeon/
sports-shoulder specialist who practices in Philadelphia, Pa.