Wiki Coders/Scheduling

[sdswan]

Just wanting to see how others do things. Are coders involved with the scheduling and pre-cert of surgical procedures? Are most surgeries scheduled with the patient present or over the phone.

Thanks in advance.
Stephanie Amick, CPC
Lawrence Orthopaedic Surgery

 

[trose45116]

I dont have anything to do with the scheduling and I work at an ASC facility. The offices call our scheduling person to schedule the surgery's each of our doctors have a block time for the surgery's. Hope this helps.

 

[beck627]

We schedule surgeries that were done when our physicians were on call, but any scheduled surgery the MA/RN takes care of. We schedule them based on the operative report because the surgery has already been done-no patient contact needed. We verify the codes for the pre auth team because often they don't have the correct area specific code or additional codes that we as coders know happen frequently with certain procedures. Hope that helps!

 

[elenax]

We are a small facility and my main job is billing and coding but sometimes I have to cover for other of my co-workers and I end up doing random scheduling or patient registration, but our scheduling is through the fax or phone only.

 

[PatriciaCPC]

I'm in the same office as our Authorization/ Surgical Scheduling dept, however I do not handle either of the two. If codes are needed for precert, it is coded by me then returned to that dept for precert and scheduling.

 

[alch]

I do all of the surgical scheduling for 2 spine surgeons and some of the billing & coding. I would say 75% of the scheduling I do is here in the office, only if the patient calls after deciding for surgery or I happen to not be available when they're in the office do I schedule over the phone. It works out better in person so I can give them the pre & post-op info that they need and I think it makes them feel more "connected" since they have a face to put w/ the voice over the phone.