I truly hope someone can solve a problem for me. In the hospital I work at no one seems to be sure how it works from inpatient to outpatient and established patient versus new patient. If a baby is born and is a preemie and seen by the neonatologist and then 4 months later the same neonatologist sees the child in the outpatient clinic once again as the neonatologist for another diagnosis such as slow behavioral growth etc how can this be charged? It is the same physician, same hospital just one of the outpatient clinics in the hospital. He says he can charge a new patient the first time,which makes sense. By the way, obviously the first time was inpatient. Then, he says he can charge a consult on the second visit or new patient on the second visit. The way I understand it if you see the same patient within 3 years it is always established regardless and is it even possible to charge a consult ? Sorry to be so wordy but I need to settle this quickly before it is done incorrectly for any length of time.
Thanks so much
Bonnie
Thanks so much
Bonnie