Wiki Discharge vs. Consult

[amym]

Our physician admits the patient on 11/8/2011 by phone but does not see the patient until 11/9/2011 and does a discharge note. Should we bill this as a discharge 99217 or consult 99204?

 

[FTessaBartels]

You cannot consult with yourself

The appropriate code for admitting & discharging a patient on the same date of service is 99234 to 99236. You can find it in CPT between Subsequent Hospital Care and Hospital Discharge.

Actual code used will depend upon documentation.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[amym]

Thanks for your help. I had always been unclear if we could bill admit/disch same day if the dates of admission and discharge were different.