Orthopedic Coding Alert

Keep tabs on details to help justify more extensive treatments later. Plantar fasciitis -- a condition in which the plantar fascia becomes inflamed and painful -- is the most common form of heel pain and can be treated many different ways. Keep up with the latest on correct diagnosis and treatment options so you'll have a paper trail to support medical necessity at every level. Start With a Single Diagnosis With heel pain affecting nearly 2 million Americans and ranging from mild discomfort to debilitating pain, it's not uncommon for a patient to call on your orthopedist before visiting a podiatrist, especially if your surgeon has treated the patient for other problems. Most plantar fasciitis pain is located close to where the fascia attaches to the calcaneous, or heel bone. The exact cause is unknown, but once your physician diagnoses plantar fasciitis you'll report diagnosis 728.71 (Plantar fascial fibromatosis) says Linda Parks, [...]