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Wiki Biopsy Documentation

cyndeew

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If a biopsy is not documented in the colonoscopy report, but there is a pathology report on file for the biopsy, shouldn't the provider be documenting this?
 
yes, the report should clearly state what was done and method. For billing, he can go back and append the OP report to include the biopsy that was done
 
I would query the provider for sure. Did he fail to documet that a biopsy was performed? Or was it intentional?? Is the path report for the correct patient. There are many questions to be answered. But you are correct in that if he performed a biopsy he must document that he did.
 
The problem is, the OM wants to bill 35380 for colonoscopy with a biopsy. I'm not comfortable with that since it isn't documented.
 
Hey Cyndee,

As mentioned by another person in the posts, physician should be appropriately queried as to the accuracy of the documentation regarding the biopsy.

Should his response to the query indeed include the biopsy service, then the record can be updated (by the physician). This would be considered a "late entry" or "addendum" to the record. There doesn't seem to be any particular time frame set in stone for this type of entry in the record. In general, my research has found the same statement repeatedly.... "addendums should be documented as soon as possible and, while there is no official time limit, the entry becomes less credible and reliable with the passage of time" (a legal aspect).

Physician would also need to identify the new entry as an “ addendum” or "late entry" and reference the original entry AND, use the current date and time on the addendum entry.

Hope that helps!
 
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