admit and discharge

[nweith1]

If Dr. A of a group practice admits a patient on Monday. He writes the discharge summary and prepares some of the discharge paperwork on Thursday. The patient is discharged on Friday by Dr. B. of the same group. He perfoms the final exam. Doesn't Dr. B bill for the discharge?
Nancy W

[LindaEV]

An Exam is not actually a key component of a discharge. Check out the description of the discharge code in the CPT book. Sounds like the first doc did the work.

[nweith1]

Yes Dr. A did perform some of the work, but the patient is still being medically managed and Dr. B is documenting the final visit with the appropriate components. I need to know if all members of the group are considered the "attending" physician. I have always understood that the physician who performs the visit on the date of discharge is the physician who bills the discharge, whether he is the admitting physician or a partner in the same group practice.