When an infusions is started in the ER and the patient is then moved to outpatient observ or admitted to hospital what would be used for the stop time for the infusion that was started in the ER?
Per CPT guidelines the start time is the time infusions began infusing on the IV machine and the STOP is the the infusions stop infusing on the IV machine. For example: Patient comes in to ER from a head injury from a MVA( motor vehicle accident), doctor order pain medication to be infused. The coder would code the Trauma , the E Codes, and the infused drugs m HCPCS J- Codes.When an infusions is started in the ER and the patient is then moved to outpatient observ or admitted to hospital what would be used for the stop time for the infusion that was started in the ER?
@ Jules of Colorado. As a rule of thumb.. You need want to code any infusions based off when patient admitted to hospital. That would be considered a "RAC Target/OIG Red Flag as that is not following proper protocols in which your hospital could be audited let alone coders getting in trouble for improper coding.We use the time the patient became an inpatient as the stop time.