Anesthesia Coding Alert

Patient history is one element of proper Dx coding. Many coders hesitate to report V codes, or simply use them incorrectly, but sometimes this section of ICD-9 most accurately describes the reason for the patient's condition. In fact, V codes are often essential to reporting an anesthesia patient's medical history. If you're not clear on the importance of V codes, check out these expert-approved answers to some often-asked questions: Why Should I Use V Codes? To determine if you should use a V code, look for documentation in your anesthesiologist's report that will support physical status modifiers or use of Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC), says Kelly Dennis, MBA, ACS-AN, CANPC, CHCA, CPC, CPC-I, owner of Perfect Office Solutions in Leesburg, Fla. Knowing that a patient has a history of certain problems (such as a history of sudden cardiac arrest) could affect how your provider delivers anesthesia or monitors the patient. [...]