Anesthesia Coding Alert

Question: A physician does not agree with my interpretation of start time. I believe start time is the time the patient goes to the OR and the anesthesiologist takes the vitals and starts preparing them. He believes that if the patient contact starts outside the OR in the holding area and he does his exam, places an IV, and accompanies the patient to OR, that he can have the start time begin in the holding area where he first began contact with the patient. Whats the right answer? Maine Subscriber Answer: Your anesthesiologist is correct. The anesthesia start time begins when the provider starts prepping the patient for anesthesia. This does not have to be done in the OR; it can be done in the holding room or another location. Most carriers start time definition is when the anesthesiologist is in constant attendance. This usually starts outside the OR. Example: [...]