Two Years After Coding Changes Sought to Decrease Documentation, Notes Remain Bloated
CMS implemented changes to E/M CPT billing codes in 2021 to reduce the administrative documentation burden on providers. However, a new study found that the average note length across all clinical notes has increased by 8.1% since then. Despite this, the average time spent writing notes decreased by 11.1%, suggesting that providers are becoming more efficient in their documentation practices. The study also found that about 40% of providers decreased their average note length over the three years. Additionally, organizations that reduced their use of SmartTools and copy/paste functions also reduced their average note length.
Organizations that increased note length saw stable use of SmartTools and increased use of copy/paste functions. These findings suggest ways to reduce note length without sacrificing the quality of care. The study also found that most providers spent less time writing notes, which could help providers free up time for patient care or reduce work after hours. The full article provides more details about the study and its findings. It also discusses the potential benefits of the E/M changes for providers, such as reducing cognitive burden or increasing physician efficiency with documentation.
Two Years After Coding Changes Sought to Decrease Documentation, Notes Remain ‘Bloated (Epic Research, 7/6).
