Advanced Search

Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

Reader Question:

Don't Get Too Creative When Counting HPI Elements

Published on Tue Oct 30, 2012

Question: Can you give me the total number of elements in the HPI example that follows:70 year-old white male with history of renal colic and abdomen fistula presents with flank (location) pain consistent with prior episodes of renal colic. Patient is a 70 year-old male presenting with kidney stones. Pertinent negatives no chills (associated signs and symptoms), urinary frequency, hematuria, nausea, urgency or vomiting. His past medical history is significant for kidney stones.Answer: There are two clear HPI elements for location and associated signs and symptoms. You could make an argument for adding severity as implied by the statement "consistent with prior episodes of renal colic", which would yield three elements. If the provider had stated when the pain started or how bad it was, then it would have been easy to get to an extended HPI using location, duration, severity, associated signs and symptoms. Unfortunately, the provider did not [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

View All