Wiki Doppler Doucmentation

[codom]

Hello,

I have found this on MedLearn's website and I wanted to get some opinions. We code allot of US/Doppler reports. As long as the documentation in the report supported the Doppler (velocity flow etc...) we would code the Doppler along with the US and appropriate modifier. This statement by MedLearn tells me if they do not state they used Color and Spectral Doppler, we can't code the Doppler. Please see link below and go to question/answer for date May 5, 2008 and let me know what you think.

Thanks, Connie

http://www.medlearn.com/questions/radiology_arch.html

 

[dhuston]

I don't see a question/answer for May 5th and I don't think there's any set wording that you have to have for dopplers. You can't just say "flow" but the documentation should say something that indicates the spectral waveform analysis was done. Since the CPT description includes "arterial inflow and venous outflow", an appeal could be easier if your report included these words. More words such as spectral waveform analysis and velocity are even better.

Diane Huston, CPC,RCC

 

[desertcoder]

Connie,
I saw the medlearn question you referred to and I think that yes, an indication of color doppler and whatever spectral analysis is done should be documented in the dictated report. It is truly as easy as stating something like " the area was imaged by means of realtime B mode and color flow doppler. This with an indication of the images interpretation should result in a very defensible position.