A new report from the Orem, Utah-based research company, KLAS, found that providers are reassessing their go-forward health information management (HIM) strategies accompanying ICD-10 to address new challenges around organizational consolidation or expansion, electronic medical records (EMRs) and other HIM technology implementations.

According to the report, 34 percent of providers listed technology as their biggest HIM department challenge, while 27 percent said regulations were their main concern. Other challenges reported included staffing, transcription, staff education, keeping medical records up, report quality and coding.

“The monumental shift to ICD-10 has providers worried about keeping up with regulatory requirements, obtaining and retaining the right staff, and handling the fluctuation in volumes and productivity that they predict will occur,” Graham Triggs, research director, said in a statement. “As volumes increase with 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day for the next 18 years, the need for adequate, qualified and trained staff becomes clear.”

To address these staffing and other HIM challenges, some providers are looking to third-party assistance to outsource transcription (MTSO), coding, scanning or release of information. Providers looking to alleviate ICD-10 coding concerns are also considering computer-assisted coding (CAC) and clinical documentation improvement technology, which are also discussed in depth in this report.

A major focus of this report is a detailed discussion of the turnaround times, report quality, account management and administrative tools of MTSO firms. Providers have also identified clear distinctions as they examine what firms offer in expertise and tools and their track records of client satisfaction.