Utilizing ChatGPT to Address Billing & Coding Gaps Among Rural Nurse Practitioners
Rosander, S., BSN, RN, Gray, L., PhD, MSN, RN, Phillippi, R. D., PhD, MS, Cofoid, S., MBA, BS, & Thomas, F., DNP,
Belmont University Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
PROBLEM
Over 75% of new graduate nurse practitioners report feeling unprepared to handle billing and coding requirements.1 This issue arises from limited coverage of billing and coding in advanced practice curricula, and the lack of affordable, up-to-date, and easily accessible coding reference materials.2
PURPOSE & AIM
This project aimed to explore the potential of ChatGPT as an innovative resource to help address billing and coding challenges faced by rural nurse practitioners in Tennessee.
PROJECT DESIGN
A quality improvement project focused on offering rural Tennessee nurse practitioners a free and accessible billing and coding resource via ChatGPT, aimed at streamlining workflows and reducing administrative burdens.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Participants were asked about the length of time they have been in practice and to rate their perceived skill level in
OUTCOMES
KEY FINDINGS
• ChatGPT achieved an 89% accuracy in generating single CPT codes for procedural scenarios.
• ChatGPT achieved a 90% accuracy in generating CPT codes for evaluation & management and timebased scenarios.
• Nurse practitioners with less than 3 years of experience report lower perceived skills in billing and coding.
• About 55% of respondents indicated they were likely to use ChatGPT again in the future.
• About 60% of respondents reported ChatGPT was not challenging at all to use.
• Zero participants reported ChatGPT was extremely challenging to use.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
• ChatGPT has potential to simplify tasks and minimize errors in medical billing and coding. For healthcare providers, particularly those with less experience or those in rural areas with fewer resources, ChatGPT can serve as an on-demand tool for billing guidance, helping to build confidence and improve skills.
• As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare, it is important for providers to adapt and take full advantage of these tools. Utilizing ChatGPT for streamlining and verifying billing and coding can lead to greater accuracy, efficiency, and operational success. The conceptual framework used was the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Model for Improvement and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model. Two PDSA cycles took place where the first focused on investigating whether ChatGPT could be a useful resource, and the second cycle involved conducting a pilot study to implement ChatGPT.
the potential of
This chart shows the percentage of participants who indicated their likelihood of using ChatGPT again for billing and coding tasks after having the opportunity to access and utilize it in their workplace.
This chart shows the percentage of participants who rated the level of difficulty associated with accessing and utilizing ChatGPT for billing and coding tasks, ranging from not challenging, somewhat challenging, moderately challenging, to extremely challenging.
