Wiki Billing for return to work exam/note

[maryek28@outlook.com]

We often get patients who are required to get a work release note in order to go back to work after being sick and I never know how to bill for this. Is it even billable? The patient's symptoms are resolved and the only reason they are here is to get a note to allow them to return to work. Often times they never got treatment from us for the illness either.

 

[jhendrix08]

Does the provider do an exam to release the patient back to work? In our office, most often patients need to be seen to be cleared so we are able to bill. However, if the physician doesn't feel it's necessary, we do the note without them coming into the office.

 

[SharonCollachi]

If we never saw them for the illness, and we're not seeing them to clear them, I tend to write this type of note: "Dear employer, XXXX is cleared to return to work, as his condition has cleared, per self-report. We do not believe that adults need a physician to tell them they are well enough to return to work, as we consider our patients to be fully functioning adults, and we would appreciate it if you would rethink your policy and stop wasting everyone's time on bureaucratic nonsense. "

We don't charge for that, as we tend to enjoy telling people their policies are stupid. Yep, we're THOSE people.

If the patient has a medical necessity to be examined to return to work, we do the visit and a nicer note.