When the news broke out that the school year of 2020 was over, it was a huge shock to my friends and me. We never imagined that anything this crazy would ever happen to us in our lifetimes, let alone a deadly virus. It just happened so fast – on Wednesday, March 11, I was taking my track team photos, and then on March 13, we were receiving the news that school would be shut down until further notice.
Of course, we thought that during the time that school was shut down, it would be one big fun spring break, full of going to the beach and hanging out with each other every day, but sadly, those ideas were quickly shut down after the widespread lockdown was set in place. It was heartbreaking, hearing that we wouldn’t be going back to school, and that all spring sports were canceled. It’s also heartbreaking hearing President Trump on the news, trying to act like he has a clue of what’s going on. From a teenager’s perspective, all I truly know is that if he hadn’t fired the pandemic response team, we most likely would be in a much better spot right now.
Anyways, I will admit, it was a hard adjustment during the first couple weeks of quarantine. For example, I had to FaceTime friends instead of seeing them face to face (which does not seem too bad, when you think about it). But FaceTiming your friends when nothing is going on in your life and you having nothing interesting to say can get very boring. We also had to transition from in-person teachers and regular school to an online curriculum. School was hard enough before. Now that I actually have to be self-motivating and independent, it almost feels impossible. I also must work around the slow Internet and technical difficulties, like when my computer wouldn’t let me into my chemistry Zoom class.
All in all, my friends and I are just trying to stay entertained. I know some of my friends like to listen to music, go on walks, and especially binge-watch Netflix. Also, now is an amazing time to take advantage of opportunities. My best friend Toula has been babysitting kids all around her neighborhood while their parents are working from home. My other friends are taking advantage of the great weather in San Diego and laying out in the sun.
This is also a great time to get creative, because why not? There’s literally nothing else to do! So, I know that I’m not the only one that went to dig up old childhood art supplies. I’ve been getting in touch with my inner artist and painting with watercolors – and even painting rocks. During this time, I also got back into old hobbies that I never had time for before with my hectic schedule, like playing the piano and even songwriting.
Right now can also be a tough time for people who struggle with mental health. Being cooped up in a house for what seems like forever can be tough on anybody – especially knowing that people are dying and everyday heroes like nurses and first responders are fighting for people’s lives on the daily. Even though it feels like we can’t help the people who need it the most. We can, by staying home and stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Vaccines have been in the news recently, making it a good time to take a look at our coding for vaccinations. In our Alphabetic Index,
While none of us will ever forget the COVID- 19 pandemic, we are now five years out from its beginnings. We have noted several coding
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Sepsis remains one of the most frequently denied and contested diagnoses, creating costly revenue loss and compliance risks. In this webcast, Angela Comfort, DBA, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, provides practical, real-world strategies to align documentation with coding guidelines, reconcile Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 definitions, and apply compliant queries. You’ll learn how to identify and address documentation gaps, strengthen provider engagement, and defend diagnoses against payer scrutiny—equipping you to protect reimbursement, improve SOI/ROM capture, and reduce audit vulnerability in this high-risk area.
Only ICD10monitor delivers what you need: updates on must-know changes associated with the FY26 IPPS, including new ICD-10-CM/PCS codes, CCs/MCCs, and MS-DRGs, plus insights, analysis and answers to your questions from two of the country’s most respected subject matter experts.
This third session in our 2026 IPPS Masterclass will feature a review of FY26 changes to the MS-DRG methodology and new technology add-on payments (NTAPs), presented by nationally recognized ICD-10 coding expert Christine Geiger, MA, RHIA, CCS, CRC, with bonus insights and analysis from Dr. James Kennedy.
This second session in our 2026 IPPS Masterclass will feature a review the FY26 changes to ICD-10-PCS codes. This information will be presented by nationally recognized ICD-10 coding expert Christine Geiger, MA, RHIA, CCS, CRC, with bonus insights and analysis from Dr. James Kennedy.
During this essential RACmonitor webcast Michael Calahan, PA, MBA Certified Compliance Officer, will clarify the rules, dispel common misconceptions, and equip you with practical strategies to code, document, and bill high-risk split/shared, incident-to & critical care E/M services with confidence. Don’t let audit risks or revenue losses catch your organization off guard — learn exactly what federal auditors are looking for and how to ensure your documentation and reporting stand up to scrutiny.
Learn how to navigate the proposed elimination of the Inpatient-Only list. Gain strategies to assess admission status, avoid denials, protect compliance, and address impacts across Medicare and non-Medicare payors. Essential insights for hospitals.
RACmonitor is proud to welcome back Dr. Ronald Hirsch, one of his most requested webcasts. In this highly anticipated session, Dr. Hirsch will break down the complex Two Midnight Rule Medicare regulations, translating them into clear, actionable guidance. He’ll walk you through the basics of the rule, offer expert interpretation, and apply the rule to real-world clinical scenarios—so you leave with greater clarity, confidence, and the tools to ensure compliance.
Bring your questions and join the conversation during this open forum series, live every Wednesday at 10 a.m. EST from June 11–July 30. Hosted by Chuck Buck, these fast-paced 30-minute sessions connect you directly with top healthcare experts tackling today’s most urgent compliance and policy issues.
Happy National Doctor’s Day! Learn how to get a complimentary webcast on ‘Decoding Social Admissions’ as a token of our heartfelt appreciation! Click here to learn more →
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
