ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

EDs prize coders that put in the work to properly report these exams. When your physician performs a FAST (focused assessment by sonography for trauma) examination, be sure to go through the notes slowly or you could miss one of the three common codes. FAST exam patients are almost always in some physical trauma, which requires a high-level E/M service; once the physician makes the decision, she'll perform a pair of procedures to complete the FAST exam. Use this guide to correct coding so you'll be quick on the draw when coding for trauma patients requiring FAST exams in your ED. FAST Focuses on Trauma Patients The high acuity of the ED setting is part of the reason that ED physicians perform their fair share of FAST exams; "Common presentations associated with internal bleeding include blunt trauma such as MVAs [motor vehicle accidents] and significant falls," states Eli Berg, MD, [...]