Wiki Post-Op Care or Critical Care??

[Vcline515]

Hello-

Our Orthopedic surgeons perform major surgery (often spine fusions etc) on adolescent patients. The post op care takes place in the Intensive Care department. This care is provided by our Intensivists who are either Pediatricians or Pulmonologists (different specialty). The Intensivists want to bill Critical Care for the post-op management. We are having a debate because the surgeon is not providing the post op care, the intensivists are, although there is not a "formal" signing-over of care. How should this be billed? What "Official guidelines" can we reference?

 

[CodingKing]

Location is not a factor in selecting critical care codes , You can be in a critical care unit and not be in critical condition. CPT book would be a good start as it defines what is considered a critical condition.

Here is an article from the Society of Critical Care Medicine

http://www.sccm.org/Communications/...Billing-Basics-Billing-for-Critical-Care.aspx