"Time passengers..."

...Geri will start training E&M codes to our new employee...did not see Cassandra on 10/7/02...reason: in orientation session...the same for 10/8/02 AM...Mike will show how to do the Rounds with a new I/P Medicine Coder on 10/9/02 & 10/10/02...I need to walk outside to prevent sinus headaches or a stiff neck...Geri lost the same papers twice, the audit on Dr. Annett...this is due in part to working the entire weekend...so we went to Medical Records & did it again...I told her to create a folder and put this information inside it! ...10/7/02: RAVEL down again for about 90 minutes in mid-morning...Dr. Rose told us that he went to a symposium during the weekend...he asked about I/P follow-up consults...the speaker said the CPT codes should not be used, as they are considered subsequent hospital visits...he said we were correct in coding visits the way we do, but he still does not agree with it...Debbie does not know how to level when the proper situation arises...10/8/02: a big to-do regarding which printer(s) are linked to PEDS' PCs'...there seems to be this idea that we are linked to the Clinic printer...which is down a very long corridor from the departmental offices...Mike Gadler could not remember which PC was connected to what printer...Geri gave the two women a tour of the Clinic & hospital...Geri has also lost 15 pounds!...

"Respect must be earned & deserved!"

...Rosanne will be out 10/10 & 10/11/02...Jolin (the Medical Coder) & Cassandra will be in class from 8:30 until noon on 10/11/02...I took them on an overview of the Rounds, enter the discharges, picked up the paperwork while reviewing how to determine if a billing sheet should be removed from its log in PSAC & PICU, plus where to find billing sheets in Newborn Nursery & NICU...returned later to complete the GPU & 3-E Census reports...Jolin will go to Medicine in the PM; Cassandra will continue working on O/P billing sheets...both are native New Mexicans...both have potential to be good coders...Jolin has a good retention of facts,

which she proved as we did the Rounds...she is also pregnant, with a February due date...10/9/02: received the greenbar report...gave to Becky...helped Val find 2 admitting DX for NICU patients...10/10/02: Cassandra sat in the kitchen area to code; this gave her more space to put her materials...then we joked about it, that she should leave the Lunch Room for lunch, and return when she's done...the calls never stopped for Geri from her family during the PM...10/11/02: but they did when Cassandra & myself were alone...only one call, and that was from our "big boss", who was looking for Geri...and Cassandra met Brad...Dr. Knott signed a request Randy...

...needed to get the League Pension Plan papers notarized...Vicki in the PEDS office took care of my request...Brad eventually got his notarized by a person in the UPA Human Resources area...10/11/02: the response was sent back to VA...the money should be received by the end of the year.....in November, Geri will fly to Tuscon for the day to see the Biosphere...in one year, Tiger Woods will make over $60 million, 75% from advertising deals...US Airways will charge standbys $100 to switch flights...the space shuttle Atlantis docked with the INTL Space Station, bringing supplies...after 2 space walks, the astronauts will start their journey home on 10/14/02...they commented on the beauty of planet Earth...3 ABQ restaurants were in the top 50 list of Hispanic places to eat in the USA...on 10/10/02, in the middle of the day, Brad quit BC/BS...the stress was too much to handle...the current most haunted city in the US is Savannah, GA...Switzerland has only recently joined the UN...

...near perfect Balloon Fiesta weather all week, and into the second & final weekend...the only problem occurred on 10/9/02, when a balloon struck a power line...there were no injuries, but the incident caused a power outage for several homes...however, the winds & weather cancelled the 10/13/02 morning events...there was a drizzle in the air, very hazy conditions & low altitude winds...ths last day of the Fiesta was when people started their journeys home...by noon, the sun peeked out again...the street in ABQ that I have personally seen the most accidents is Eubank...kids are stealing the new neon headlights on luxury vehicles in order to add class to their own cars...10/11-12/02: Brad made Madeira Onion Soup & Pad Thai...both were incredible creations, and wonderful to eat!...10/14/02: Brad cooked a great roast pork picnic shoulder...Captain is enjoying his new fluffy, white bed (comforter)...10/15/02: Brad prepared spoon bread & buttered cider sauce to put over the roast pork (yum, yum plus!)...

...10/9/02: another killing at another gas station (there were 2 incidents in MD) in the DC Metro area...this one in Manassas at the junction of I-66 & Rte 234...7 people have died...people are changing their habits...they are fearing gas stations...at schools windows are covered & outside activities have been cancelled...a Tarot Card (Death) was at one site, as well as the message I am God...police feel he is watching news broadcasts...when they said the shootings took place in MD suburbs, he struck in VA...when stated that he did not target schools, he did...10/11/02: the sniper killed another person, this time at a Massaponax gas station located in Spotsylvania County, VA...this is the same part of Virginia where Fredericksburg is located...the shooting took place while the police were nearby writing up an accident report...this is the eighth death so far...analysts believe this person may be a rejected or wannabe military or police officer...the suspect may be driving a large, white van with a ladder on its roof...this area is also the home of Potomac Mills, a huge indoor shopping complex...or Kings Dominion, an amusement park...(I regert this last statement; see

more)...there is a $500,000 reward for the sniper...

10/11/02: Steve E-mailed me that so far things are OK at work...actually, I was worried that he had unpleasant news regarding the pension plan disbursement of funds, which is expected in late 2002 or early 2003...

....10/13/02: (10 AM) a conjecture...suppose this is a terrorist threat!...the target is the nation's Capital...it is the home to 2.5 million people, plus tourists & employees coming & going on a daily basis...people are afraid to perform daily outdoor activities, schools are re-evaluating field trips...there is the uncertainty factor that the killer may strike at anytime, anywhere in the MD, VA or DC area...many locations can contain thousands of people, where they would be easy targets, such as Metrorail platforms, the National Zoo or Wolf Trap!...the marksman could be far away from his victim...currently there are more people afraid of this sniper than of a terrorist attack...but this could be one & the same...the Metro DC area is in a state of panic... (noon) this idea made it to the Sunday political talk show...who told them about my theory?...

...10/10/02: the House voted 296-133 Thursday to give President Bush the broad authority he sought to use military force against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein - with or without U.N. support...the Senate was poised to do the same and to deliver Bush a major national security policy victory...(see more)...UN Security Council members France, Russia & China do not approve of the US plan to attack Iraq on its own...there is more than enough terrorism in our country than we can handle...a recent poll found that voters by a 2-to-1 margin think Bush could do more to help the economy...there should be more focus on domestic problems rather than national security issues...10/14/02: election day in Irag...I wonder who will win?...Saddam Husien has been reelected for another 7-year term...10/19/02: he freed all prisoners, including those jailed for political reasons...Americans are not one solid voice against Iraq...10/12/02: explosion in Bali night club...many foreigners killed, 200+ deaths...thought to be the work of the al-Qaeda...10/20/02: evidence suggests the targets

were Australians...Bush says Bali has to step up its war on terrorism...

...I wonder what will happen when nations request the US government or military personnel leave in order to prevent terrorist attacks from taking place in their own countries...

...Birds of Prey...not bad...takes a little of this idea and some of this other storyline in DC comics...turns Dinah into a young girl with psychic powers...gives the Huntress skills inherited from her mother...rejects hers father's money...Barbara is a teacher, Alfred helps her & maintains the upkeep of Wayne Manor...and begins its life on TV...with Dr. Harleen Quintzel in the shadows...2nd episode; pretty good...

...10/14/02: 44 degrees at 5 AM...10/14/02: VP Cheney will be in Roswell for a political rally...in spite of the windy conditions on 10/13/02, the Balloon Fiesta was a success...crowds leaving through SunPort were so large that the security checkpoint line started at the escalators (that is a considerable distance)!...10/14/02: lots of discharges...got to work early...got backlogged in GPU...actually took more time today...then I learn I have a training class on 10/15/02 from 8-11 @1650 Univ., plus a rescheduled meeting from 12 -1 back on campus...more like a review, contained statements that went against what had been previously told to Coders...this was quite true regarding consultation criteria...but upper management said it was so...there was a quiz, with trick questions (both Yes & No were correct answers)...then we have to audit more & enter it into the database, to be ready with findings in one week... more doctors are requesting more audits & more meetings...worked on Payer Denial requests for the balance of the day...and I rediscovered a possible class on 10/18/02 from 9-11...waiting for confirmation from Rosanne...yep, there's one on Friday on INGENIX, and I am also out for part of Monday...also found out that the way I batch claims, as instructed by Ann, is not the way previous coders did it...and not the way Hope expected...thus, a clash between Hope & myself...this will change, so that I am not a thorn in her side (nor she in mine!)...doctors want to start billing visits using CPT codes that are inaccurate, but have a higher RVU &/or dollar value...such as, billing for a level 3 I/P visit, instead of a discharge...more doctors are getting upset that Coders are suggesting a different level for a visit than what has been entered on the billing sheet...this entry was decided upon by the doctors themselves...

...the trees have been cut at the Beach...some to the ground...others only on one side...beware if it's very windy!...now is the time to hunt for discounted Balloon Fiesta souvenirs!...talk about police protection; a cop has a speed trap just east of my bus stop on Central, complete with spotlight!...I have slightly overdosed on my web site!...the fat lady has yet to sing! another possible tropical storm forming in the Gulf of Mexico...the amount of mail & phone calls has decreased in the last two weeks (I wonder why?)...an all CA World Series!...Anaheim vs San Francisco...

...10/14/02: 11th shooting; 9th fatality...woman killed while loading bags into her trunk...the crime was committed in front of her husband & other onlookers...the location was a Home Depot in Falls Church, VA...the killing occurred at one of northern Virginia's busiest intersections, where major arteries come together to form 7 corners...VA State Police said a cream van was last seen traveling east on Route 50 from Falls Church...the Beltway, MetroRail, interstates 66, 495 and I-95 are nearby...

...there may be a Tropical Storm Marco soon...Ann has contacted Geri...Ann has a cold, her mother had surgery, but now has to undergo chemo treatment for the next six weeks...

...Cassandra, who drives a truck, has a 3-year old son, Miguel...she lives near Geri, and her husband works as an accountant in a casino...her birthday is July 11...she also has relatives from West Virginia locales such as Romney, Gaffney, Morgantown & Parkersburg...

...New Mexico is the poorest state in the Union, with the second highest taxes...that may allow the pension checks to go farther...10/16/02: snow will fall in Iowa today...get ready for a colder, maybe wet, maybe windy weekend (?)...in ranking, Minnesota is the healthiest stae (#1), Louisiana is the worst (#50)...New Mexico is #40...factors in this decision are smoking & unemployment...this is Natl Boss Day & Hope's b'day...