Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad is a concise summary of medical documentation and coding apps that are appropriate for health care providers that are available for the iPhone and iPad. For health care professionals, browsing the iTunes App Store to find suitable medical apps is a bit like searching for the proverbial needle in a hay stack. A single search may result in a murky list of endless, tangentially related apps, only to find that none of the apps are helpful for health care providers. After sorting through hundreds of diet aids, medication reminder lists, etc., and through persistent attempts to narrow searches for medical documentation and coding software, we found 6 appropriate and relevant apps! Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad was written by health care providers to guide other health care providers, and focuses on two questions: Which medical documentation and coding software tools are available? What features do these medical documentation and coding apps have?

1. November 2011

2. Finding Medical Apps
Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad is a concise
summary of medical documentation and coding apps that are
appropriate for health care providers that are available for the
iPhone and iPad.
For health care professionals, browsing the iTunes App Store to
find suitable medical apps is a bit like searching for the proverbial
needle in a hay stack. A single search may result in a murky list
of endless, tangentially related apps, only to find that none of the
apps are helpful for health care providers. After sorting through
hundreds of diet aids, medication reminder lists, etc., and
through persistent attempts to narrow searches for medical
documentation and coding software, we found 6 appropriate and
relevant apps!

3. Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad was written by
health care providers to guide other health care providers, and
focuses on two questions:
Which medical documentation and coding software tools are
available?
What features do these medical documentation and coding apps
have?
To make this information accessible to as many health care providers
as possible, Medical Coding Apps for the iPhone and iPad is
released as a free ebook on multiple platforms. If you find this
ebook useful, please share it with a colleague.

4. What is Evaluation and Management Coding?
Health care providers are not automatically paid for the
services they provide. Every health care encounter must be
documented and qualify for payment based on criteria
established by insurance companies. Medicare, one of the
largest insurance providers, has developed criteria for
“Evaluation & Management” encounters, and these criteria
are outlined in the 1997 Documentation Guidelines for
Evaluation and Management Services. These criteria are
complex, yet failure to adhere to these rules of
documentation can result in hefty fines and/or jail time. For
these reasons, health care professionals often seek
professional documentation and coding assistance, and
relevant, portable medical documentation and coding tools.

5. Medical Coding Apps

6. Code Check Pro
Code Check Pro is a point of care
evaluation and management
coding app that provides quick
reference documentation
requirements in a table format.
Multiple encounter types are
included. This app also includes
access to full references, all
Medicare defined exam types,
and physician productivity
tracking. Documentation
requirements of a service can be
reviewed after just one screen
tap.

7. Code Check Pro is well organized, aesthetically pleasing, and
transitions smoothly.
Features unique to this app are productivity graphs comparing work
RVUs, Medicare pricing, and Medicare code distributions by specialty
for included services. Code Check Pro also has a personal
productivity tracker function that summarizes and graphs
documentation and coding information for every patient encounter.
Code Check Pro is a useful tool for learning medical documentation
and coding requirements. It is also valuable in routine use for
ensuring coding accuracy, and providing productivity feedback, a
feature not available in other apps.
Key Features
 Universal App (iPhone and iPad)
 RVU and Charge Data
 Trailblazer MDM
 Free trial version http://goo.gl/YKa4c

8. CodeEM
CodeEM is a point of care coding
reference tool for evaluation and
management encounters. This
app utilizes a Medical Decision
Making (MDM) calculator to
interactively determine the MDM
level.

9. Those who are looking for a great coding tool that also teaches
documentation and coding requirements will find CodeEM awkward
and incomplete. Major weaknesses of this app are that the detailed
information is fragmented and pocketed, and page transitions are a
bit slow. Another weakness is the inability to readily review
detailed documentation information while using the MDM Calculator
mode. These qualities are a significant impediment for an app that
requires a minimum of 9 page transitions to review the
documentation requirements for a single encounter.
Not included in this app are single organ system exams and the
Trailblazer MDM method.
Key Features
 Universal App (iPhone and iPad)
 RVU Data
 Medicare Charge Data (localized)
 Free trial version
http://goo.gl/3pzZI

10. Code My Note
Code My Note is an aesthetically
pleasing, well organized and
responsive medical coding app
that works in an audit tool or
calculator format. With little
user effort, this app determines
the appropriate coding
level, using either the common
method or Trailblazer method to
determine the level of Medical
Decision Making.

11. Code My Note is a user friendly app that also provides readily
accessible, detailed documentation information. Though not
referenced, the information is consistent with the 1997
Documentation Guidelines for Evaluation and Management
Services, making this a useful learning tool for all health care
providers.
A unique feature is the ability to select a minimum coding level.
Once selected, the minimum requirements are highlighted. This is a
handy reference tool for those already familiar with the
documentation and coding, yet provides enough information for
beginners. With experience, a single encounter’s documentation
requirements can be reviewed in as little as 1 screen tap, if a base
coding level is set under the Options tab.
Not included are single organ system exams, RVUs, and cost data.
Key Features
 iPhone app
 Free trial available
 Supports Trailblazer MDM http://goo.gl/Yu6Xz

12. CPT E/M QuickRef
CPT E/M QuickRef is a point of
care coding reference tool for
evaluation and management
encounters that includes more
encounter types than any other
app. CPT E/M QuickRef is
responsive, well organized, and
easy to navigate.

13. Major weaknesses to this app are that the detailed documentation
information is buried several layers deep, and that the explanations
of documentation requirements are vague, especially those relating
to Medical Decision Making (MDM). This is particularly troublesome
since determining the level of MDM is the most complex part of
medical documentation and has the greatest influence on coding
level. Finding the documentation requirements for a single
encounter is cumbersome, requiring a minimum of 9 screen taps.
Not included in this app are single organ system exams, RVUs, cost
data, and the Trailblazer MDM method.
Key Features
 Free App
 iPhone app
 No MDM support
 No single organ system exams
http://goo.gl/c4vve

14. EM Coding
EM Coding is a point of care
evaluation and management
coding app featuring two
methods to review
documentation rules based on
user knowledge and experience.
The “I know what to bill” option
summarizes documentation
requirements for an encounter on
a single page, simplifying coding
level verification. The “calculate
the level to bill” option launches
an interactive medical coding
calculator that requires at least
seven steps to complete.

15. Several weaknesses are apparent with this app. First, it features
only two encounter types: initial hospital care and subsequent
hospital care. Second, the exam bullets do NOT correspond with
the documentation requirements outlined in the 1997
Documentation Guidelines for Evaluation and Management
Services, making it risky, at best, to rely on this coding app.
Not included are single organ system exams, RVUs, cost data, and
the Trailblazer MDM method.
Key Features
 iPhone app
 Cost $4.99
http://goo.gl/UXARd

16. STAT E&M Coder
STAT E&M Coder is a point of care
coding audit calculator that has a
simple one screen interface on the
iPad. A major feature of this app is
that it supports all Medicare
defined physical exam types.
Major weaknesses include a
cluttered appearance that lacks
esthetic appeal, and small buttons.
Button size is a huge problem
because over 35 screen taps are
required to “check off” all the
items required for a high level
visit. Button selection is especially
challenging on an iPhone.

17. A feature unique to STAT E&M Coder is the snapshot tool that
captures data entered on the screen which would be very useful for
anyone wishing to save coding audit information.
Not included in this app are explanations of coding and
documentation rules, cost data and the Trailblazer MDM method.
STAT E&M Coder is a reasonable app for users already well versed in
medical documentation and coding, and who have small fingers.
Key Features
 Universal App
 Free trial available
 RVU data
 Snapshot tool
 Cost $44.99 http://goo.gl/7jiJo

18. Thank you for reading Medical
Coding Apps for the iPhone
and iPad
Please share this with a
colleague

19. What are these things for?
They are QR codes
Scan them with your smartphone to
open your browser in iTunes to read
more about the app
OR
Type in the the URL that looks like
http://goo.gl/7jiJo in your browser to go
To the iTunesAppstore

20. Notices & Legal
 Copyright 2011 by Robert Robinson and Martha Burk
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review.
 Apple, iPhone, iPad, iOS, iTunes, and App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and
other countries.
 CPT is a trademark of the American Medical Association, registered in the U.S. and other countries.
 STAT E&M Coder is a trademark of Austin Physician Productivity, registered in the U.S.
 The contents of this manuscript are the opinions of the authors, not the opinions of Apple Inc. or the
developers of any of the products included in this manuscript. This manuscript is not endorsed by
Apple Inc. or the developers of any of the products included.
 The authors are the developers of one of the apps featured in this book and have promoted the use of
several of the included apps in professional settings such as regional continuing education events.