ICD-11 Morbidity Pilot in Kuwait: Methodology and Lessons Learned for Future Implementation

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Medical Coding Systems
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• The International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) represents a significant advancement in disease classification.
• Transitioning to ICD-11 requires careful planning and pilot testing, especially in real-world clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on the first ICD-11 morbidity pilot for inpatient discharges in a public general hospital.
• To identify facilitators, challenges, and physician opinions regarding ICD-11 implementation.
• To provide considerations for future large-scale ICD-11 adoption.

Main Methods:

• Engaged stakeholders and selected a public general hospital setting.
• Assessed and prepared IT infrastructure, conducted ICD-11 training, and performed pre-pilot testing.
• Implemented the pilot with on-site support and collected user-experience data.

Main Results:

• Physicians expressed overall satisfaction with the ICD-11 pilot experience.
• Key facilitators included national health system support, leadership commitment, multidisciplinary teams, tailored training (including social media), and on-site support.
• Challenges involved potential IT issues and difficulties in physician training and engagement.

Conclusions:

• Successful ICD-11 implementation for diagnosis documentation in public hospitals is feasible via electronic health record integration.
• Pilot studies are valuable for refining ICD-11 content and improving implementation strategies.
• Effective change management, communication, and innovative training are crucial for adopting ICD-11.