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question for coders out there and Redpen please - cj


Posted: Oct 27, 2010

We are being QA'ed into oblivion at our facility.  We have our RAC audits, our internal QA, and an outside agency that does QA audits on each coder.  We are constantly in a QA cycle for someone, and it is getting to be so tiring.  Each reviewer sees things a little differently so one thing may be correct for our internal QA but an error for our external.  Can't win.  Anyway, I am currently doing outpatient coding.  Our facility uses EpicCare for clinical documentation.  What I would like to know from those of you who might do any outpatient coding, do you pick up all chronic conditions or do you code only those conditions which were addressed at a particular visit or may have had an effect on the treatment rendered at that visit?  I generally code only that which is addressed, and for our internal QA this has always been correct.  Now an external reviewer is counting these as errors if we don't pick up all chronic conditions.  The guidelines for OP coding say "code all documents conditions that coexist at the time of the encounter/visit and require or affect patient care, treatment or management."  I read that to say I don't need to code all those other chronic conditions if they are not addressed/treated.  I am wondering how others do it.  

Chronics - jm

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi Cj,

I do hospital outpatient coding, and we pick up all chronics. I use the medication list as my guide as to whether to code or not. If the condition is listed and they are on medication for the condition, I code it. Sounds like your facility needs to have an internal policy that supports the coders one way or the other.

so right... - cj

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks so much for your info on how your facility does it. We have been asking our facility for an internal guideline on this and nothing so far. they have it in an internal email to the coders but outside reviewers will not recognize that it is not an official facility guideline.

Yes, you need a policy - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
Yes, you need a policy. Your facility should also be explaining their coding expectations to the auditors in advance.

Don't assume that all auditors know everything, either. Some don't, and there is room for disagreement since there are gray areas in coding. That's why you need the policy.

Audits are always going to be there, but you should not be subjected to a tug of war, yanked in one direction by one auditor and in another by a different auditor. Your facility can't expect you to satisfy everyone, and if your management cannot balance this out, something is wrong.

I think YOU are protected by the email, so an auditor can make an observation but it should not be held against you.

Yes, you would only include conditions that were addressed or treated, or which affected management of something that was addressed or treated.

You also have to consider the number of codes you have available. Just how many codes do they want you to use and why? Do you have an unlimited amount? Or just the number that will fit on a bill?

I also wonder if they aren't pointing this out because leaving off the chronic conditions is lessening the complexity of the E/M services. (?)


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