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Check These 4 Areas for Cleaner Hypothermia Claims

Published on Sun Sep 12, 2004

Share the responsibility with the provider

Cases using induced hypothermia or deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) can be complicated, but you can still code them correctly.
 
Julee Shiley, CPC, CCS-P, CMC, an anesthesia coding consultant in Columbia, S.C., offers these four tips for staying on track:

 

  • Talk with your providers - physicians and CRNAs - about the types of cases they routinely use hypothermia for, and which cases are typically routine circulatory arrest rather than DHCA.
     
  • Include a check-off area on the anesthesia record indicating these techniques to alert you to their use and to make it easy for providers to note.
     
  • Learn how you can use the patient's body- temperature readings to determine whether you should bill for total body hypothermia.
     
  • Keep an eye out for the cases your providers have indicated use these methods so that revenue will not be lost and all procedures and risks will be reported appropriately.

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