This extra one to two year preparation time should be used the same way you would use time for disaster planning if you got notice that your ED would be the nearest hospital to a major earthquake, tornado, fire, or hurricane on Oct. 1, 2015 or 2016. As emergency physicians, we are good at preparation. Let’s use this extra time to make sure we are personally prepared to document in an ICD-9–ICD-10 format, that our EHRs promote needed documentation efficiently, and that our end-to-end testing is successfully complete months before the final ICD-10-CM implementation date.

Increase your clinical documentation training programs for physicians and other providers. Documenting with more specificity in notes now will result in immediate financial and non-financial rewards: better medical decision making and quality measures, fewer claims denials, reduced audit exposure, improved case mix index, and improved cash flow.

Develop a plan to address gaps in documentation and technology. Invest in new technology that improves your efficiency, documentation, and quality of life. The EHR vendors are touting that they will be using this extra time to “innovate for clinicians to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively.” Make sure to take advantage of their commitment. The world wants meaningful medical information available, whenever and wherever needed, to save time, money, and lives. Physicians are the ones who make documentation “meaningful.” Let’s plan and work together for the next year (or two) to ensure a successful ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation, whatever the chosen start date.

Dr. Bensen is president of Medical Education Programs in Buffalo Junction, Va. She is an AHIMA approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer, a senior medical associate at MedAcess in Roxbo, N.C., and Councillor for VACEP. She is a former member of the ACEP Board of Directors.