Clinch Decompression, Fusion Procedures With These Tips
Published on Sun Nov 01, 2009
If you always turn to 62, 80, or 81, our experts' answer might surprise you. You can save time unraveling a case involving multiple surgeons by verifying each physician's role and treating each surgeon's work as a separate activity. Try your hand at the following scenario to see if your coding lines up with our experts' advice once you consider the nuances between reporting a case as co-surgery, assistant surgery -- or something else. The case: Medical necessity shows that a patient needs both lumbar spinal decompression and fusion, so two surgeons from your group agree to handle the case together. Dr. A performs the decompression; Dr. B (who specializes in fusion procedures) completes the spinal fusion with instrumentation. The physicians were not in the operating room (OR) at the same time, but a physician assistant was present and assisted during both portions of the case. Separate Each Surgeon's Work The correct [...]
