Dig Deep for This Broken Glass Encounter
Question: A 10-year-old was brought into our office after cutting their foot open on glass while they were barefoot in their basement. The wound is 1.6 cm. in length. After cleaning it thoroughly, the pediatrician was able to close the wound using only adhesive strips. Which repair code should I use for this visit? AAPC Forum Participant Answer: This visit would not warrant the use of a wound repair code. You should instead choose an appropriate office evaluation and management (E/M) code from the 99202-99215 (Office or other outpatient visit …) code set for your claim. Although the need for adhesive strips implies that the wound was a little deeper than a standard cut, this would not qualify as an actual repair because no sutures were needed. Lindsey Bush, BA, MA, CPC, Production Editor, AAPC
