# Assistant Surgeon dictating note



## espforu (Jul 8, 2015)

Hello,

It is appropriate for the Assistant Surgeon to dictate the note rather than the main surgeon?  I am not sure if this is a error or not.

Thanks


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## jdibble (Jul 8, 2015)

espforu said:


> Hello,
> 
> It is appropriate for the Assistant Surgeon to dictate the note rather than the main surgeon?  I am not sure if this is a error or not.
> 
> Thanks



The primary surgeon dictates the note and includes in it documentation to support the need of the assistant surgeon, who the assistant was and what they did to assist. The assistant surgeon does not dictate the report and does not have to do his own dictation either. If he were a co-surgeon then he would dictate only his portion of the surgery.

The primary surgeon needs to dictate this note if they all want to get paid!!


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## Spring2Code (Apr 26, 2018)

Hi- The primary surgeon dictates the report. The record should include documentation to support the need of the Asst Surgeon. I would think your MAC would have some written reference to this. Thanks


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## Bwinkler (May 21, 2018)

*assistant surgeon-*

my dr assisted another surgeon in a nephrectomy. In which he did a lap lysis of adhesions and an intraoperative u/s (he dictated a separate report) Our coder only coded him as an assistant surgeon with modifier 80, I know this has to be wrong. I am new to the coding world and trying to figure out exactly how this should have been coded. Please help. thanks!


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