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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

'Supple' May Refer to These Systems

Published on Thu Aug 30, 2012

Question: When my otolaryngologist writes "Neck is supple," should I count the phrase as part of the musculoskeletal exam or the lymph system?Alabama SubscriberAnswer: Supple means "able to bend." So you can always give the physician credit for the phrase "Neck is supple," as range of motion under the musculoskeletal section.Some otolaryngologists may use the phrase to refer to the lymph system. The term "Neck is supple" has also come to mean the physician checked the patient's node and found no swelling, meaning the patient doesn't have enlarged lymph nodes. Not all physicians like using the term this way. Regardless of which way your otolaryngologist feels, be careful that you don't double-count the phrase. You can use the note under either the musculoskeletal system or the lymph system, but you shouldn't count it under both exams at the same time.Exception: You can consider the term part of both systems if [...]
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