Coders view about medical diagnoses and procedures coding quality improvement methods in educational hospitals affiliated to Iran, Tehran, and Shahid Beheshti universities of medical sciences

Use of coded data for quality management, health care financing and health care policy requires a simplification of valid coding. Most programs aim to improve the quality of coded data by improving the accuracy of codes assigned by the coding staff. This study was done for determine of coders view about effective factors on coding and quality improvement methods. This is a descriptive study conducted in the first half of 2007. Two questionnaires were used for determining of coders views about factors affecting coding quality and methods that could be implemented to improve coding quality. Data analyses were done using descriptive statistics and SPSS software. According to coders view average of main variable affecting factors were respectively 65/91, 87/87, 12/86, and 73/73 percent for medical record, health care provider, coder, and classification systems. 100 percent of coders indicated that developing of coding quality indicator, developing of coding standards, and coder's education is the most effective methods for improvement of coding quality. Coders indicated that medical record problems was the most effective factor on coding quality also they indicated that coders education, development of coding standards and developing of coding quality indicators are the most effective methods for improving coding quality.