Wiki Pain round phone call :-X

[JWash618]

I have a doc that placed a thoracic epidural and did post op pain rounds the next two days via phone through the nurse. Normally we bill a flat fee 01996 per post op pain day. Is this going to be different since it is non-face-to-face? I looked at the telephone services codes (99441 area) in the CPT but they state that the call is initiated by the established patient. In this case, it would be the Anesthesiologist initiating the call, the give the nurse instruction, or the nurse calling the doc with the patient status and requesting instructions.
Any Ideas??

 

[dwaldman]

Sounds like a verbal order and I don't believe it would support a telephone E/M with an established patient, parent, or guardian. And without face to face encounter with the patient I would not report 01996.

 

[JWash618]

Thanks!