# Neurologist Standby For Intraoperative Monitoring



## Partha (Sep 28, 2009)

*Often our neurologist provider would wait on standby for 2 hrs to 4 hrs as Surgeon proceeds with surgery before he starts intraoperatiev neurophysiological monitoring? How can the provider submit claims and get reimbursed for his standby time during which he is unable to attend to anything else. Our understanding is we can't include the standby time in calculating the intraop monitoring hours. Any inputs will be greatly appreciated.*


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## RebeccaWoodward* (Sep 29, 2009)

I'll give this a shot....Per CPT Assistant...

*Question*

At what time is it appropriate to report code 99360 for standby services? Should it be reported at the time of notification or when the physician reaches the institution?

*AMA Comment*

From a CPT coding perspective it is inappropriate to report 99360 from the time of notification. In the 1997 CPT book under Physician Standby Services, page 35 it reads "Code 99360 is used to report physician standby service that is requested by another physician and that involves prolonged physician attendance without direct (face-to-face) patient contact. The physician may not be providing care or services to other patients during this period. Code 99360 is used to report the total duration of time spent by a physician on a given date on standby. Standby service of less than 30 minutes total duration on a given date is not reported separately." Based on the guidelines, it is inappropriate to report 99360 from the time of notification as the time starts at actual attendance by the physician. The code is intended to be reported when the physician is present and standing by ready to render services if necessitated by the situation. 

Since 95920 doesn't have global days assigned to it (Code 99360 is not reported if the period of standby ends with the performance of a procedure subject to a surgical package by the physician who was on standby) 
, I would think 99360 is reportable if the physician is on standby...adhering to all the guidelines and medically necessary.


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## Partha (Sep 30, 2009)

*Fantastic*



rebeccawoodward said:


> I'll give this a shot....Per CPT Assistant...
> 
> *Question*
> 
> ...



Fantastic - I am left wondernig why I didn't think about 99360


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