Anna Weaver
Guest
Okay, here's the scenario, I don't have a particular OP report, but it goes like this:
Patient has a 5 cm ulceration on the abdomen. It heals in the middle and becomes 2 small ulcerations each 2 cm. Is this then considered one wound since it's contiguous? Or is it considered two wounds since there is a healing in the middle? We need to know because of debridements. Are they going to be charged one debridement to the deepest level, or is it going to be two debridements one for each wound? I'm leaning towards one debridement since it's just opposite ends of the same wound, BUT, right now (until we can find documentation) we are charging two. We can't find anything either way, so we're basically coders choice at this point. Any help appreciated, and all comments and commentaries welcome! Please give me your opinions or any documentation you might have. Thanks!!!
Anna
Patient has a 5 cm ulceration on the abdomen. It heals in the middle and becomes 2 small ulcerations each 2 cm. Is this then considered one wound since it's contiguous? Or is it considered two wounds since there is a healing in the middle? We need to know because of debridements. Are they going to be charged one debridement to the deepest level, or is it going to be two debridements one for each wound? I'm leaning towards one debridement since it's just opposite ends of the same wound, BUT, right now (until we can find documentation) we are charging two. We can't find anything either way, so we're basically coders choice at this point. Any help appreciated, and all comments and commentaries welcome! Please give me your opinions or any documentation you might have. Thanks!!!
Anna