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As any high school or college student discovers at some point or another, science textbooks come out with updated versions in a seemingly endless process of revisions. This is because science is constantly being improved upon, utilizing technology to sort and use data in ways previously unheard of.
While this is good because it reflects the active nature of science, it can become a tedious process when a microbiology text book, for example, is outdated by the time it is printed and distributed.
Similarly, medical coding books are constantly revised, especially on small levels. Diagnoses and treatments are reevaluated, so the codes that identify them often have to change. Every few years, a revision of ICD codes is released and implemented. Because changing books and codes is a complicated process for medical offices, there is usually a period of time between when new books are released and when their implementation is required.
For instance, the tenth revision is the most currently released. The books were made available in 1993 by the World Health Organization and updated in 2007, but the mandatory implementation date is October 1, 2013. That’s quite a bit of time between publication and mandatory use! This is because revisions are made available to the medical public for critique to ensure the most effective revision possible.
This is why determining the availability of new books is tricky. Are you looking for new coding books that are still being reviewed, or do you want the agreed upon revision? Because new revisions are constantly in the works, what does it mean to have the “new” coding books?
The eleventh revision, according to the World Health Organization, is due for publication by 2015. Once it is published, an implementation date will be agreed upon. If you’re looking for the tenth revision, which is by far more imminent, it is currently available.
You can also check out this post which details the differences between the ninth and tenth revisions of the ICD-CM books.
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Click here to see the practice exams or to view the additional CPC exam study guides click here.
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