Hi
pribbing,
I have a lot of information to share on this.
First when a flow cytometry is performed - it isn't like the patient (or pathologist's) gets to state that "I only want 6 panels performed".
I am going to share exactly what my pathologist's (go to person for many years, presented for our chapter many years stated at our "May Mania" shortly after I started and I'll never forget their presentation on flow cytometry).
You have a classroom of Johnny's - they all look exactly the same looking at them in the classroom, they are xxxxx hair, xxxxx eyed, wearing the exact same blue shirt and matching cap. But Flow Cytometry can identify those differences with antibodies (other health care facilities may refer to them as markers, or panels). A patient or pathology provider cannot just simply order a flow cytometry to be performed asking for a set number of panels, antibodies, markers to simply be performed. The testing is completed when all the Johnny's have been identified from one against the other.
My question is how do you have one specimen (divided into two portions) and placed into two separate flow cytometry profiles? And why? Isn't that redundant? Possibly a waste of resources and possibly a pathologist's time? My next question is why does one have more markers then the other? Are you sure on specimen source?
Next question, we have one flow profile with 24 markers and another with 18 markers for the same specimen. How do you justify billing both sets if it was the same specimen? If it was the same specimen just review both reports and validate the number of markers/panels/antibodies and just bill appropriately those that do not overlap each other and hope it is the same provider or they get "paper, rock, scissor for their reimbursement".
I am clearly baffled on this difference, but I have seen some craziness in my career.
I am hopeful I have provided some help for this coding issue.
Dana Chock, CPC, CANPC, CHONC, CPMA, CPB, RHIT