Outsource Strategies International (OSI) is proud to say that their article titled “September is Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month” has appeared as the cover story of the BC Advantage Magazine, the highly acclaimed CEU approved national online healthcare publication. Written by Natalie Tornese, CPC, OSI’s Senior Group Manager, the article has been published in BC Advantage Magazine’s Sept / Oct 2020 | Issue 15.5.
The article provides a comprehensive overview of rheumatic diseases, one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. This chronic disease causes the immune system to attack the joints, bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. There are different types of rheumatic disease with varied symptoms that can affect different parts of the body.
The importance of early and rapid diagnosis of rhematic diseases is discussed at length in the article, along with the ICD-10 codes to report the condition. Using the correct codes while establishing medical necessity is crucial for physicians to get paid. Documenting the patient’s signs and symptoms clearly and correctly is necessary to ensure coding to the highest level of certainty.
Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month is observed to draw the public’s attention to the importance of understanding the prevalence and severity of rheumatic diseases. The article discusses the risk factors, symptoms, treatment options, economic impact, and healthcare challenges associated with rheumatic diseases, and importantly, what symptoms to look for and when to consult a rheumatology specialist. Recognizing the symptoms of rheumatic disease and getting timely treatment are key to managing the disease. Lack of awareness about rheumatic disease increases the risk of longer-term pain and damage of not only the joints but also for various organs and body systems including the lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys, skin and eyes.
The Sept / Oct 2020 issue of BC Advantage Magazine also features another article by OSI titled “Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Addressing Challenges of Diagnosis and Clinical Management”.
Established in 2002, OSI is a healthcare business process outsourcing company based in the U.S. The company provides end-to-end medical billing and coding services for medical practices, dental practices, dentists and physicians and also specializes in insurance verifications and authorizations. They also provide practice management solutions for all medical specialties, from front office administrative management to back office coding, billing and collections. OSI’s team of skilled AAPC-certified coders have a strong understanding of ICD-10-CM and CPT requirements and procedures, and stays up-to-date with coding changes, payer-specific documentation requirements, and state and federal regulations.
BC Advantage Magazine is the largest independent resource provider in the industry for medical coders and billers, healthcare auditors, practice managers, compliance officers, and clinical documentation experts.
Other OSI articles published by BC Advantage Magazine are: “Gastroparesis Awareness Month in August”, “Key Strategies for Clinical Documentation Improvement in 2020”, “Pharmacy Prior Authorization – Challenges and Solutions”, “Tick and Lyme Disease Diagnosis and Treatment”, “Viral Hepatitis – Types, Symptoms, and Diagnosis Codes” and “How to Code Screening and Diagnostic Colonoscopy”. Two OSI reports, “Thanksgiving-Specific Foodborne Illnesses – Types, Symptoms, and ICD-10 Codes” and “ICD 10 Codes for some of the Worst Epidemics in the U.S”, were also featured in the magazine’s online medical coding article section.
