Wiki CPT Death Summary same day as brought to hospital

[Tammy Hale]

Hello. I know we use 99238 for a death summary after patient was admitted but can we code for a death summary on the same day patient came to hospital? i.e. Suicide

 

[FTessaBartels]

Patient DOA?

If the patient was admitted and "discharged" (died) same day you can use the 99234 to 99236 codes (depending on documentation).

If the patient never got out of the ER you might instead be using critical care codes (need 30 minutes or more direct face-to-face critical care documented ... and I'm assuming you are not billing for the ER physician...)

Or are you saying that the patient had already expired when s/he arrived?

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CPC-E/M