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assistant surgeon issue

D

debspazandfuzzy

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Council Bluffs, IA
I have a primary surgeon that is using another surgeon as an assistant, but all he is using for his documentation for this is the following:

"Again, Dr. >____ assisted with patient positioning, prepping and draping, retraction, closing and dressing application. It was necessary to have him there as an assistant."

There is no mention of the assisting surgeon in the procedure description, just that note at the end. Is this enough to justify having him as an assistant?

Please advise. Thanks!

Deb Larsen, CPC
 
I don't think this covers an assistant surgeon

The only thing listed that a surgical tech could not do is closing. But a surgical tech can prep, drape and hold limbs in place as the surgeon works. So this statement really does not meet medical necessity for an assistant. The surgeon should state the specific parts of the procedure that the assistant helped with and specifically how the assistant helped with that part of the procedure.

Good luck
 
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