Latest ICD9 codes :-) LOL

Jo_deye_yuh · Jul 28, 2000

LMAO.. So true! The sad thing is I even have dreams, err nightmares, of ICD-9 codes flashing through my mind and trying to decipher the right code ..is it 977.06 or .07 or .08??!

There is a topic on its own...INSURANCE COMPANIES!! In the midst of my hectic clinical day...checking in pts- answering phone calls from pts, PT, HH, hospitals- organizing meetings for my dr- cutting a cast off, writing orders for X-ray, putting a new cast on- scheduling MRI's and surgeries- etc etc...I am overjoyed and enthused that after a patient decides on surgery that I now get the blessing of doing the many forms and paperwork that then commences. After completion of them I then get to partake in, what I like to call, "my stress-free, leisure time" ...calling insurance companies for precert and benefits!

EXAMPLE:

**ring ring ring...** auto-voice answer..

"Press 1 if you'd like to..yada yada

Press 2 if you... Press 3 to speak to..."

**I press 3** ring ring ring

auto-voice again...press 1 if you ...press 2 if...

**I press 2** ring ring ring

auto-voice again..."Due to the large volume of calls, our service agents are all currently busy. Your call will be answered in the order of which it was recieved."

**Then the funky jazz/orchestral version of the 'Top Ten Elevator Music Hits' begins to play. I put the phone on speaker so all around me may enjoy the monotonus drone. Also, by putting it on speaker phone, I can hurry to change a dressing in room 6, answer line 4 and carry a full conversation about the dynamic juxtopositions of Nigeria vs. the Yukon. Intermittently checking to see if the music has stopped on the speaker phone. Then after 15 minutes...a voice calls out...not sure if it is one of my split personalities speaking again, I soon remember.."oh yeah, I was holding for that insurance co.". Then spend a total of 2.2 minutes getting and giving all the necessary info. **click** Ahhh done.

But then I get notices that all MRI's and other diagnotics are to be pre-certed, Synvisc and other injectables to be pre-certed...and I scratch my head in wonder...how will they ever surgically remove that damned phone from my ear now?!

My "on hold" record stands today at 30+ minutes, and that was after being transferred 4 times and each of the 4 times was on hold for no less than 5 min, no more than 10. The time spent on hold locks me, ball and chain, to my desk. Oh how sweet it would be to get "On Hold" differential!

Thank you Darla80 for your humor and insight into the topic!

Jodie

[This message has been edited by Jo_deye_yuh (edited July 28, 2000).]

darla80 · Jul 30, 2000

Originally posted by Jo_deye_yuh:
LMAO.. So true! The sad thing is I even have dreams, err nightmares, of ICD-9 codes flashing through my mind and trying to decipher the right code ..is it 977.06 or .07 or .08??!

There is a topic on its own...INSURANCE COMPANIES!! In the midst of my hectic clinical day...checking in pts- answering phone calls from pts, PT, HH, hospitals- organizing meetings for my dr- cutting a cast off, writing orders for X-ray, putting a new cast on- scheduling MRI's and surgeries- etc etc...I am overjoyed and enthused that after a patient decides on surgery that I now get the blessing of doing the many forms and paperwork that then commences. After completion of them I then get to partake in, what I like to call, "my stress-free, leisure time" ...calling insurance companies for precert and benefits!

EXAMPLE:

**ring ring ring...** auto-voice answer..
"Press 1 if you'd like to..yada yada
Press 2 if you... Press 3 to speak to..."

**I press 3** ring ring ring
auto-voice again...press 1 if you ...press 2 if...

**I press 2** ring ring ring
auto-voice again..."Due to the large volume of calls, our service agents are all currently busy. Your call will be answered in the order of which it was recieved."

**Then the funky jazz/orchestral version of the 'Top Ten Elevator Music Hits' begins to play. I put the phone on speaker so all around me may enjoy the monotonus drone. Also, by putting it on speaker phone, I can hurry to change a dressing in room 6, answer line 4 and carry a full conversation about the dynamic juxtopositions of Nigeria vs. the Yukon. Intermittently checking to see if the music has stopped on the speaker phone. Then after 15 minutes...a voice calls out...not sure if it is one of my split personalities speaking again, I soon remember.."oh yeah, I was holding for that insurance co.". Then spend a total of 2.2 minutes getting and giving all the necessary info. **click** Ahhh done.

But then I get notices that all MRI's and other diagnotics are to be pre-certed, Synvisc and other injectables to be pre-certed...and I scratch my head in wonder...how will they ever surgically remove that damned phone from my ear now?!

My "on hold" record stands today at 30+ minutes, and that was after being transferred 4 times and each of the 4 times was on hold for no less than 5 min, no more than 10. The time spent on hold locks me, ball and chain, to my desk. Oh how sweet it would be to get "On Hold" differential!

Thank you Darla80 for your humor and insight into the topic!

Jodie

[This message has been edited by Jo_deye_yuh (edited July 28, 2000).]

Hey Jodie...You made me laugh!!!

We do have to keep smiling don't we????

You must be in ortho?? Do you Love it?

I love the clinic.. but I have to say Insurance companies wear me out!

I am in Internal Med and my physician is PCP for a few HMOs so I was amused with your rendition of a phone call. This scene must be played out all across the United States. I know here in TN we spend far to much time getting "Permission" for giving Good care. It really is absurd.

A note to you and a wish for success when you do go to surgery. I hope the ear surgery is successful but most of all I hope the phone can still be used after the surgery because after all there are more insurance calls to make!!!LOL

Keep smiling!

Jo_deye_yuh · Jul 30, 2000

Ditto Darla! You made me laugh! YES humor is a must, esp in our field. However, I have noticed that different areas in the nursing field have different humors. I know each person is individual and may not think some things are funny, but depending on the department or speciality...the level or severity of humor does vary. For example, OR nurses and staff, I have often found to have a crude humor...still funny but with a bite or edge to it. I try to find humor in everything. I love to laugh and make others laugh. The day goes by so much better and so many things happen that can be made into an entertaining story or quip.

*Not very nice, but funny still.*... My Ortho-tech,OA,CFSA and I made a red-neck/hillbilly point game. We wrote out characteristics that qualify for points.

EX: -# of missing teeth = points (extra if missing teeth are from front top or bottom)

-variety of Harley Davidson/Beer ad T-shirts (extra for number of holes and stains)

We find ways of amusing ourselves, but on the flip side...we also look at the lighter side of life for our patients too. Making them laugh makes our day. Matching personalities and humor to all age groups and watching them leave with a smile or giggling is a great thing! A lot of times all three of us..."The Ortho Team" (Wonder Twin Powers..activate")Dr, me, and tech poke fun at eachother and just down right awnry in front of the patients...they get a kick out of it. The stuffy white coat atmosphere is not usually found in our dept. However, my doc, I swear a prodigy, is very gifted and has a wonderful bedside manner that I admire.

My tech and I also play hilarious, childish pranks on our doc. Example: Page him...the number displayed is for a Mediao-book store.

He is a member of "Wine of the Month Club", and gets 2 bottles of Burgundy or whatever the wine, in a special packaged box. He gets it sent to the clinic. We got the box before it was brought back to his office and opened it carefully. My tech ran to the liquor store and got 2 bottles of Strawberry Hill (cheap sweet wine, with a twist cap that says to serve over ice). We then replaced the expensive wine with the cheap stuff and retaped the box and set it back on his desk. Excitedly he runs to the box and opens at it like a kid on Christmas morning..he reaches in, pulling the styrofoam off and pulling out the gaudy, cheap bottle and says..."What the hegh..." Meanwhile the whole clinic is in on the joke. He then goes from dr to dr showing them and can't believe he would get something like that! But it back fired on us. While checking in patients, he went back to his office and called the head office of the wine company to complain! The poor lady on the other end of the phone was confused and apologetic. When I came out of the room I overheard him telling someone he was waiting for a call back from the winery! I had to spill the beans. He got quite the kick out of the whole deal!

Sorry for rambling so...but just to end on this note..I know there is a time and place for humor. And never should be used to hurt someone "intentionally". If we didn't learn to find things amusing or funny...those same things would become too stressful to deal with. I love being an Ortho nurse, it is a boys world, but I have 3 brothers and can handle the bulk of the kakka they dish out. I work with some awesome Int Med nurses! That is quite the field with such complex multi system problem pts. I have worked in that dept, filling in, a few times and WOW, I have respect for thier knowledge and how busy they are!

Best of luck, blessings and Health to you!

[This message has been edited by Jo_deye_yuh (edited July 30, 2000).]