Developing Productivity Standards in Medical Coding and the Impact of AI
Overview
Students collaborate in small groups to design coding productivity standards and auditing plans, share their work, and reflect in a class-wide discussion on how AI may affect these processes.
Why Use This?
This activity provides students with practical experience in management tasks increasingly influenced by AI, such as establishing coding standards and planning audits and corrective action plans. It encourages them to think realistically about how these processes may evolve while also giving them opportunities to conduct industry research if they work in healthcare or to draw on their peers’ professional contacts if they do not. Simulating authentic workplace challenges also builds collaboration and problem-solving skills.
How Does It Work?
Students are divided into four groups, each with a specific task. Two groups (A groups) develop productivity standards for medical coding—one focused on inpatient settings and the other on outpatient settings. The other two groups (B groups) create audit and corrective action plans for coders who do not meet the standards developed by the A groups.
Within their groups, students conduct research, draft their standards or plans, and work toward consensus on a final version. Each group then shares its work with the class. Afterward, students participate in a larger discussion on how AI may influence these practices, considering both opportunities and risks for their field.
Instructions
For this assignment, you will break into small groups to either develop coding productivity standards or plan how you will intervene if coders don’t meet those standards.
To connect with your group, click on the People tab in the sidebar on the left side of the Canvas page.
Once you have developed your part of the assignment in your group, you will elect a group member to post your final answer to this discussion board.
4-Group, Multi-Phase Discussion
You will be randomly assigned to one of the following groups:
Inpatient
Outpatient
Metrics/Standards (due Weds.)
Group 1A
Group 2A
Audit/Corrective Action Plans (due Sun.)
Group 1B
Group 2B
Group Breakdown
Each group will first post in their respective group discussions (which can be found under the “People” tab).
You will be asked to conduct initial research independently, and post your findings and sources in your small-group discussion.
Next, work together to determine your final recommendations; this may involve evaluating your peers’ sources, discussing how different factors specific to a certain facility might impact coding productivity, or anything else you think is relevant.
Finally, elect a group member to post your write-up back to this discussion board.
You can see that the groups are broken down by Facility Type (inpatient or outpatient) and Process. Think of metrics/standards as what you will be enforcing, and audit/corrective actions plans as how you will be enforcing it.
Keep in mind, I will need to be able to see significant contribution from each group member in your discussion!
Keep In Mind
- Set earlier deadlines for the A groups so their standards are ready before the B groups finalize their audit plans.
- Break up the phases of the discussion by using multiple discussion boards—those for small groups and those for the larger class. Additionally, make sure to explain how the multiple discussions connect in the overview or instructions.
- Form groups of four once enrollment has stabilized to avoid reshuffling students into different groups.