Wiki Initial vs Subsequent Visit

[hrgoff812@gmail.com]

Patient banged leg and skinned it resulting in edema and shallow wounds. They may have visited another hospital/office (unclear in documentation) and kept a dressing on the leg, using hydrogen peroxide to clean it daily. However, the wounds have failed to progress and therefore was seen by their PCP and referred to Wound Clinic.

Would this be an initial visit with our clinic or would this be a subsequent visit?

Coding from a facility standpoint.

 

[LisaAlonso23]

Per CPT manual, page 6 guidelines, if the patient was never seen at your facility or hasn't been seen within the past three years, he/she is considered a new patient. If that's the case, the 7th character of your diagnosis would be an A.