Anesthesia Coding Alert
READER QUESTIONS:
Check for This Resident Ratio
Published on Sun Aug 21, 2005
Question: What guidelines exist regarding the ratio of teaching anesthesiologists to residents in a teaching hospital?
New York Subscriber
Answer: According to the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), faculty schedules must be structured to provide residents with continuous supervision and consultation throughout their clinical rotation years.
In a teaching facility, faculty members should not direct anesthesia of more than two residents at the same time. The same rule applies to student resident nurse anesthetists (SRNA), although some facilities opt for a 1:1 ratio instead.
You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were answered by Susan West, RHIT, a consultant with Auditing for Compliance and Education, Inc., in Leawood, Kan.
Other Articles in this issue of
Anesthesia Coding Alert
- E/M Coding Focus:
Rely on These 4 Criteria to Correctly Report 99211 Cases
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The [...] - Self-Check:
Test Your 00211 Knowledge With These Real-Life Scenarios
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Anesthesia and pain management practitioners don't perform E/M services as frequently [...] - Extra Service Advantage:
Report Doppler Separate From TEE Placement
Don't miss extra reimbursement if you meet criteria
Focusing your energy on coding TEE probe placements [...] - You Be the Coder:
Determine Groshong Removal Code
Question: What is the correct code for removal of a Groshong catheter?
New Jersey Subscriber
[...] - Diagnosis Details:
Use Your Carrier's Policy to Demystify TEE Justification
Hint: You need to include these detailed diagnosis codes
The next time you find yourself coding for [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Code 01967 for Transferred Labor Patient
Question: Our anesthesiologist began an epidural for a labor patient and periodically monitored her for [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Think Before Appending AA to All Claims
Question: Is it appropriate to append modifier AA to all claims for services the anesthesiologist [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Rely on 01967 for Some C-Sections
Question: The anesthesiologist saw a patient for cesarean section due to failure to progress. The [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Verify Bier Block's Purpose
Question: The anesthesiologist administered a Bier block during a carpel tunnel release. Do we report [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Check for This Resident Ratio
Question: What guidelines exist regarding the ratio of teaching anesthesiologists to residents in a teaching [...] - NCCI Edit Update:
Be Careful: The Rules for Reporting Injections Have Changed
These common pain management procedures now include 3 popular G codes
The National Correct Coding Initiative [...] - Details Count:
Steer Clear of These Traps When You're Reporting SI Joint Radiofrequency
Hint: Location is key when determining correct codes
"Performed radiofrequency (RF) to the patient's sacroiliac joint" [...] - You Be the Coder:
Coding Lumbar Plexus Injection-Not Infusion
Question: How do I bill a single lumbar plexus injection instead of continuous infusion? - Pain Management Tip:
Balance Your Numbers of Diskograms and Interpretations
Don't let unequal reporting cost you reimbursement
The use of diskograms versus MRI scans and other [...] - Terminology Tip:
Be Clear on 'Diskography' vs 'Diskogram'
Some people use the words "diskogram" and "diskography" interchangeably, but the terms actually represent different [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Double-Check Notes for Multi-Injection Encounter
Question: Our pain physician performed a lumbar epidural steroid injection (LESI) and SI joint injection [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Select TPI Code Based on Numbers
Question: How would I code a visit that included a trigger point injection and epidurography? [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Report TPI Codes for Piriformis Injection
Question: Our physician injected the patient's piriformis muscle because it was in a spasm and [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Submit V58.89 as Post-op Diagnosis
Question: Several carriers deny our claims for brachial plexus blocks or other peripheral nerve injections [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Treat Pars Defect Injection as Facet Joint
Question: What code do I use for a pars defect injection (L5) under fluoroscopy? The [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
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Question: Can I report fluoroscopy in conjunction with pain management blocks? If so, what code [...]
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