General Surgery Coding Alert

Digging into the operative report is the only way to find the right codes. With 13 codes to describe placement of central venous (CV) access devices, you may stare at your CPT manual and wonder where to start -- but choosing the proper code for your surgeon's procedure doesn't have to be overwhelming. By following four steps, you're guaranteed to choose the correct CV access device placement code every time. Step 1: Determine the Type of Catheter The first thing you need to do when choosing a CV access code is look at the type of catheter your surgeon used. Determine whether he used a tunneled catheter, a nontunneled device, or a peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC), says Sundae Yomes, CPC, trauma services coder at HCA Physician Services in Las Vegas. Look to the documentation to find out whether the surgeon tunneled the catheter under the skin or left it [...]