MEDecision and Health Language partner for ICD-10

March 14, 2011 | Mike Miliard, Managing Editor

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WAYNE, PA – MEDecision, a developer of health management and decision support technology, and Health Language, Inc. (HLI), which specializes in medical terminology management, have joined forces, allowing MEDecision to help payers and providers comply with and capitalize on forthcoming ICD-10 requirements.

The partnership will see MEDecision incorporating HLI’s Language Engine into its collaborative health management portfolio to accelerate the transition to the ICD-10 coding system, which goes into effect on Oct. 1, 2013. The Web service platform synergies between the companies’ technologies will allow for faster and easier integration with customers’ systems, irrespective of technology platform.

Eric Demers, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at MEDecision, said adding Language Engine (LE) will enable his firm to offer "an additional health management benefit" beyond ICD-10 compliance.

"With this capability, we can help healthcare stakeholders keep pace with the ongoing introduction of new and updated standards and augment their administrative and care management processes for greater effectiveness," he said. "We’re very pleased with the alliance we’ve forged with HLI and are excited about the advanced resources it will allow us to offer our customers."

MEDecision executives say the arrangement with HLI demonstrates MEDecision’s continued commitment to collaboration, data integration and health information exchange. LE’s ability to collect data from disparate codes and vocabularies, convert it into standard terminologies and codes, and deliver it to a variety of platforms enhances the interoperability approach inherent in the design of MEDecision’s solutions.

Additionally, LE’s mapping capability and web service integration will hasten the crosswalk from ICD-9 to ICD-10 and streamline integration through existing translations, HLI’s provider friendly terminology and customized mapping when necessary.

“MEDecision clearly shares our philosophy that technology is our best means of bringing sustainable, positive change to the healthcare system,” said George Schwend, CEO at Health Language. “Combining our capabilities with their solutions gives users powerful tools for navigating changing regulations and evolving market forces to establish systems and processes that foster growth and a competitive advantage."