Wiki Sutures and post-op

[cpccoder2008]

If a patient comes into ER and has sutures placed and told to follow up with pcp for removal and treatment but then returns back to ER during the 10 post-op for the removal is this considered a global visit and not billable or should you make the patient responsible because they were told to follow up with their pcp ??

 

[mitchellde]

It is global for the ER physician but the facility can bill a facility charge.

 

[kimsue63]

Is this the case even if you originally bill the sutures with a -54 modifier, telling the patient to see their own physician for removal/post-op?
We have been going around and around with this question forever.

Kim

 

[alices]

sutures

does that apply to all the dr's in the er, even if we don't know who placed sutures or when they come in for packing removal? I am kind of lost today I can't seem to think and I am sorry if this question has been asked multiple times, but I really need to get this clarified...thanks for the help and sorry for so many questions today...alice

 

[Faith C Taylor]

I would say that if the pt came in the ER for sutures and then returned 10 days later to the same ER for suture removal, it will not be billed because it is within the global period.