American Business Systems Explores the Rich History of Medical Coding
When most people think of medical coding, they picture a modern, technologically advanced industry with recent beginnings. However, American Business Systems, the creator of the comprehensive ABS Business Package, found that the history of medical coding spans centuries. Their team provided a brief timeline below.
A Brief History of Medical Coding
Medical coding has humble beginnings, dating back to the 17th century. John Gaunt authored the London Bills of Mortality, a rudimentary form of disease logging and diagnosis coding. The London Bills of Mortality organized medical information regarding the death of the local population throughout the Bubonic Plague.
1930s
The epidemiologist William Farr suggested a more detailed code set to assist with disease classification in the 1830s. However, no new advances would develop until 100 years later. The International List of Causes of Death allowed medical experts to add fatal conditions and expound upon their signature symptoms.
After a few years, the World Health Organization would take control of this log. The WHO tracked global death statistics and the evolving state of public health around the world.
1977
The history of medical coding took a more recognizable turn in the 1970s. In 1977, the International List of Causes of Death earned a new name: International Classification of Diseases. Thus, the ICD-9 came into existence.
The National Centers for Health Statistics would add clinical data to the code’s contents following this change.
1990s
Throughout the 1980s, technology stagnated. Practice staff documented codes and billing information by hand. They either wrote data manually or used a typewriter for early data-entry purposes.
However, the 1980s saw a brief uptick in digitization. This uptick would become a surge throughout the 1990s. Personal computers and rudimentary software usage gradually became the norm.
2014-2017
In 2014, health organizations published the ICD-10 codes, which offered more comprehensive medical coding information. In addition to detailed diagnostic codes, this edition also included extensive procedure codes. These updates influenced changes in how Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance companies developed service guidelines.
Present Day
In 2020, a global pandemic made history and changed modern culture forever. The COVID-19 virus challenged how medical professionals managed their patients. In a bid to prevent the virus from spreading, medical practices began conducting appointments via mobile devices and personal computers.
As the pandemic ended, many patients did not readily leave these telehealth appointments in the past. Therefore, virtual checkups and their coding requirements became integral to modern medicine. The history of medical coding is currently in the making.
About American Business Systems
American Business Systems assists independent business owners in the medical coding industry. Their team designs solutions, services, and resources to assist ambitious entrepreneurs in achieving sustainable medical coding franchise ownership. They understand why people fail medical billing, ensuring clients avoid mistakes.
Learn more at 866-565-8413.
