Wiki iv push, iv therapeutic, iv hydration

[MAWK]

Can someone explain to me on the difference between IV hydration and IV therapeutic. If a drug is inserted into the iv bag is that considered a push? this patient came into our facility received rocephin and toraol thru the iv bag. I am not sure of the way i coded it. thanks.

 

[OCD_coder]

The infusion turns from hydration (saline alone) to therapeutic when a drug is added whether to the line or the bag. The drug had to be administered with and IV solution and cannot be billed separately unless there is a separate line into a separate hole into the patient. I can't tell how long the drug ran to determine if it was a push or an infusion.

There are CPT Asst that state if a push was given, even it it ran longer than 15 minutes, it is still considered a push as the nurse must sit at the patient's side and administer the drug by hand.