Wiki Critical Care and E&M

[sctaylor]

Hello!
My fellow co-workers are dealing with a critical care vs. initial hospital visit issue. If a physician sees a patient for one or more days as critical care and then the patient improves. Would you use an initial hospital visit then subsequent visit or just go straight to subsequent visit for the remaining care? Please help us straighten this out.
Thank you!

 

[cheermom68]

You would use subsequent visits. The initial codes can only be used for the first time the patient is seen for that admission.

 

[sctaylor]

Thank you! That was my thinking.