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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information:

Tara Hannon Allison Hammes

Community Liaison Public Relations
(732) 297-3002 (321) 537-6363
drdouglasdelorenzo@gmail.com hammesar@dukes.jmu.edu

DeLorenzo Makes Easy Transition to ICD-10

KENDALL PARK, NJ October 28, 2015. Douglas N. DeLorenzo, D.P.M. and

associates have smoothly transitioned into the ICD-10 diagnosis code sets from

ICD-9. All U.S. medical practitioners covered under the Health Insurance

Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) were required to replace existing coding

with the ICD-10 codes effective Oct. 1, 2015.

ICD-10 is the most recent update to medical coding. This update affects diagnosis

codes in all medical practices and inpatient procedure codes used in hospitals.

According to roadto10.org, ICD-9 was in place in America since 1979 and has

been outdated for years. ICD-10 was developed by a select group of physicians

before being reviewed by specialists to supply additional details.

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ICD-10 allows us to speak the same language as the people that are going to be

telling our story for outcomes, for data assessment, and for billing, Mark

Bieniarz, M.D., cardiologist, said. Its incredibly important to have the severity

of disease we are managing accurately portrayed.

ICD-10-CM has added almost 50,000 codes to the existing 16,000 from ICD-9

making diagnosis data much more accurate and specific. Specific information on

medical records can help doctors decipher patients medical history and report

diagnoses with more accuracy than before. ICD-10 allows for many more

combinations of codes than ICD-9 allowing physicians to document any illness

regardless of complexity with ease.

ICD-10 is going to make an immense difference in the documentation of our

patients, DeLorenzo said. We will be able to better understand patients

histories and, therefore, be able to create a more effective plan for treatment

across the many fields of medicine.

While the process of updating and transitioning to the new set of codes is tedious

and time-consuming, it is essential in the advancement of medical knowledge.

DeLorenzo and his team began the process of translating the codes much earlier

this year in anticipation of the national compliance date.

Additional minor updates to the organization of codes are also included and the

current CPT coding for outpatient treatment will not be affected.

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For more information visit roadto10.org.

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About Douglas N. DeLorenzo, D.P.M.

Douglas DeLorenzo, D.P.M. is Board Certified in Foot Surgery by the American
Board of Podiatric Surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Foot and
Ankle Surgeons. Dr. DeLorenzo has an extensive background in healing difficult
wounds, diabetic foot care, and reconstruction. He is now offering non-surgical
treatments including Shock-Wave Therapy and Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation.
All professionals at our office maintain the highest levels of accreditation and
pursue ongoing education to stay abreast of the latest trends in podiatry.