MDS Alert
Can You Count Therapy Assistance When Coding ADLs?
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Question: Can a facility count ADL assistance provided by rehab therapists in the facility when coding activities of daily living in Section G of the MDS 3.0? Answer: Yes, says Shehla Rooney, a physical therapist and principal of Premier Therapy Solutions in Cookeville, Tenn. "But considering that therapists tend to focus documentation on how well the patient is doing in therapy to show progress toward [achieving] goals, usually therapy ADL assistance does not show the worst the patient is doing." Even so, to ensure MDS accuracy and optimize reimbursement, it's important to capture the highest level of assistance provided to the patient, Rooney says. Thus, the persons completing the MDS should review therapy documentation and interview therapy staff, if needed, to determine that information, she adds.
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