August 2006

MIL SPIRIT Draft Terminology Workshop
Dina Greenberg

ABC Coding Solutions recently hosted the two-day MIL SPIRIT Draft Terminology Workshop at company headquarters in Albuquerque, NM. Navy chaplains stationed throughout the United States, as well as some approaching deployment to Iraq and other U.S. military and domestic posts, gathered here. Along with industry consultants and ABC Coding Solutions staff, they engaged in a collaborative process to both determine the wide range of services provided by the Navy Chaplain Corp and to draft specific terminology (ABC codes) to capture those services in a structured way previously unavailable.

Workshop participants also developed a comprehensive list of Chaplaincy specialties, based upon training standards, certifications, and scope of practice. The resulting creation of corresponding ABC codes will provide Navy chaplains with the ability to quantify their services and validate the positive effects these services have on the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of those to whom they administer care. Prospective applications — both clinical and research-related — are far reaching, providing the Chaplain Corp additional opportunities to improve pastoral care and counseling services and increase mission readiness among troops.

Military chaplains work in conjunction with many allied healthcare professionals to create a collaborative care team for instances as far ranging as mass casualty — often assisting civilian populations — end-of-life issues, and warrior transition. Implementation of ABC codes will enable the Chaplain Corp to accurately track successful interventions and to pinpoint changing needs. ABC Coding Solutions plans to expand this project to encompass chaplaincy care across all branches of the US Armed Forces as well chaplaincy care provided in the Federal Prison System.