LOUISE SLACK
Networker
Hello Group and Happy Friday!
I sent a question to a consultant recently and she referred me to the Palmetto Medicare web site and told me that Palmetto does not consider a "new problem" to the examiner as something we can give to the provider. It has to be a "new problem" to the patient only.
In Iowa our Iowa Medical Society made an audit tool that says New Problem to the examiner.
This is the first I have ever heard of only giving the provider a new problem if it is new to the patient. It makes sense that if a patient has an established diagnosis and sees a new doctor that the doctor/provider does not have to establish a diagnosis but I just have never audited this way. Especially for ER records. Patients come in with established problems all the time but it is new to the examiner. I suppose if the patient has an established diagnosis but a new complication or progression of the illness that is new to the patient.
Any thoughts about this?
Thank You
Louise
I sent a question to a consultant recently and she referred me to the Palmetto Medicare web site and told me that Palmetto does not consider a "new problem" to the examiner as something we can give to the provider. It has to be a "new problem" to the patient only.
In Iowa our Iowa Medical Society made an audit tool that says New Problem to the examiner.
This is the first I have ever heard of only giving the provider a new problem if it is new to the patient. It makes sense that if a patient has an established diagnosis and sees a new doctor that the doctor/provider does not have to establish a diagnosis but I just have never audited this way. Especially for ER records. Patients come in with established problems all the time but it is new to the examiner. I suppose if the patient has an established diagnosis but a new complication or progression of the illness that is new to the patient.
Any thoughts about this?
Thank You
Louise