ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert
Multi Trauma Visits Require High Decision-Making
Question: Patients with multiple trauma from a fall or motor-vehicle accident arrive by ambulance and require several x-rays (four or more) and CAT scans. Both the emergency physician and the radiologist review the tests. In addition, the patients require a complete physical exam and some labs. How should I factor this data in to "complexity of data reviewed"? Should I consider this data extensive or moderate? Virginia Subscriber Answer: If you use the Marshfield Clinic Audit Tool, you would get 1 point for ordering labs, 1 point for ordering x-rays, and 2 points for direct visualization, totaling 4 points. That corresponds to a high-complexity amount of data reviewed. Remember, this is only one of the three areas of MDM. You would need to have an extensive number of diagnoses or management options or high risk to have MDM of high complexity.
ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert
- When You Can Report Conscious Sedation as Anesthesia
It seems too good to be true you can report an anesthesia code for conscious [...] - The Global Surgical Package Unwrapped
Questions about the global surgical package keep coming in from emergency department coders: May I [...] - Surgical Procedure Code + E/M Code Can Be Correct Coding
When can you report both an E/M code and a surgical or procedure code for [...] - You Be the Coder:
Laceration Codes with or without -54
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - ED Coders,Expect Less Documentation from Your Physicians
Last November, the Department of Health and Human Services released a Medicare transmittal relaxing documentation [...] - Documentation Scenarios for New Guidelines for Teaching Physicians
The new teaching physician guidelines will reduce, but not eliminate, teaching physician E/M documentation. Read [...] - Documentation Faux Pas for New TP Guidelines
For the new teaching physician guidelines, some documentation decisions do not pass muster. Make sure [...] - Stamps for Your New TP Documentation
The new teaching physician guidelines mean sparser physician notes. So do stamps now suffice as [...] - You Be the Expert:
TP Rules:Not for Medical Students
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - Out with the Old,in with the New
The new template you can expect from teaching physician documentation, mentioned in the article on [...] - Reader Question:
Other Changes Covered by TP Rules
Question: Our practice has heard about the main change under the new teaching physician guidelines, [...] - Reader Question:
Documentation Scenarios from Transmittal 1780
Below are the three scenarios that CMS offers for teacher physician guidelines verbatim, as referenced [...] - News You Can Use:
Pediatric Codes,OIG
As we plow forward into 2003, an avalanche of news follows in the New Year's [...] - Reader Question:
Definition of Distributive Shock
Question: What is distributive shock? Our physician describes it as secondary to an early cardiac [...] - Reader Question:
Multi Trauma Visits Require High Decision-Making
Question: Patients with multiple trauma from a fall or motor-vehicle accident arrive by ambulance and [...] - Reader Question:
Technical Terms for Falling Down
Question: A patient presents after a fall that occurred at work. The physician dictation states [...] - Reader Question:
CMS versus CPT for E/M Services
Question: Is there a difference between using CMS and CPT guidelines for E/M services? Many [...] - Reader Question:
Document the ElectiveStatus of Cardioversion
Question: The definition of cardioversion 92960 reads in part, "elective, electrical conversion of arrhythmia; external." [...]
