Wiki OB/GYN a specialty

[jlm]

I need some input from other coders on an interesting topic that has come forward in the multi-specialty clinic that I work at. I have been told to inform our obstetric/gynecology department that they are not considered a specialty. Thus if a patient has been seen in family practice and then sent over to OB/GYN for a specific problem (ie. ovarian cyst) they would be considered an established patient even though the OB/GYN department has never seen them before.

Can anyone help me with this situation? As of current the OB/GYN dept. has always been looked at as a specialty and not primary care.

 

[FTessaBartels]

Specialty is a PHYSICIAN designation

The individual physician must be credentialed with a particular specialty. If a physician of Family Practice specialty refers a patient to a physician of OB/GYN specialty the OB/GYN physician may code a new patient visit (as appropriate).

It makes no difference how the CLINIC is designated. The important difference is how the DOCTOR is credentialed.

Family Practice
Internal Medicine
OB/GYN
All above are separate and distinct specialties.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[AHenderson]

I think the issue of the OB/GYN department of your clinic being a "specialty" or not depends on the payer...for instance in our OB/GYN clinic, when it comes to what copays to charge a patient, some payers consider us a specialty and some do not...As for what Tessa said about whether a patient is considered "new" or not, that sounds absolutely correct to me