Wiki Screening Colonoscopy with Symptoms

[torifreak12]

Hi all,

I'm curious if anyone has any insight into whether or not you can code a screening colonoscopy, if the patient is due for one, even if they're having some sort of symptoms.

For example, a patient is due for a screening, but is also having diarrhea and rectal bleeding, and the colonoscopy ends up being normal. Can you code G0121, with Z12.11, R19.7, and K62.5? Or is it mandatory to code this as a diagnostic because the patient presented with symptoms?

I guess the nutshell version of my question is whether or not "screening" has to be synonymous with "asymptomatic".

Thanks in advance.

 

[tkschneider]

a screening is a screening is a screening

The screening was scheduled when the patient did not have any symptoms and the plan was for it to be a screening. If I'm being black & white about it, I leave it as screening and utilize only that indication and those findings.

 

[mitchellde]

Hi all,

I'm curious if anyone has any insight into whether or not you can code a screening colonoscopy, if the patient is due for one, even if they're having some sort of symptoms.

For example, a patient is due for a screening, but is also having diarrhea and rectal bleeding, and the colonoscopy ends up being normal. Can you code G0121, with Z12.11, R19.7, and K62.5? Or is it mandatory to code this as a diagnostic because the patient presented with symptoms?

I guess the nutshell version of my question is whether or not "screening" has to be synonymous with "asymptomatic".

Thanks in advance.

Screening is synonymous with asymptomatic. If the patient was. scheduled as a screening and is only answering a questionnaire regarding if they have had these symptoms, then it is still screening. The patient is not complaining of anything, they are only indicating that those symptoms have occurred. If the patient presents and they are indicating these symptoms exist and oh well it is time for a screening anyway... then no this is a diagnostic test. If the screening was prior scheduled and the patient presents symptomatic indicating symptoms not due to the prep, then, Iy cannot be screening. When a screening is scheduled and the prep ordered and carried out, then diarrhea as a presenting symptom is kind of an expectation.