Improving Medical Education by Coupling Basic Science Lectures With ICD-10 Codes.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Informatics

Background:

• VCOM utilizes a systems-based block education model for its preclinical curriculum.
• Current preclinical education may not fully prepare students for clinical documentation requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes into the preclinical curriculum.
• To enhance student learning and recall of basic science information relevant to clinical practice.
• To better prepare students for patient encounters and clinical documentation during rotations.

Main Methods:

• Diseases and procedures from 994 preclinical lectures (36,105 slides) were analyzed.
• Corresponding ICD-10 diagnostic and procedural codes were identified and matched.
• Instructors received information to update future lectures with ICD-10 code associations.

Main Results:

• A total of 4331 opportunities to associate ICD-10 codes within the preclinical curriculum were identified.
• The initiative provides a framework for integrating coding into basic science instruction.

Conclusions:

• This curricular initiative aims to enhance the preclinical educational experience by linking basic science to clinical documentation.
• The program is designed to improve students' preparedness for documenting patient care in clinical settings.