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Wiki same elements used for multiple conditions
- Thread starter elbeRN
- Start date
Pathos
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I would not count any of the HPI elements twice, as this looks like "double dipping".
Here's a good AAPC article by AAPC's G.J. Verhovshek.
"McCann’s intended meaning is that you cannot use a single documented item twice within the same component of the E/M service. For instance, if the physician documents “pain since last Tuesday,” you cannot count that statement in the history of present illness (HPI) as timing and duration. It’s one or the other, but not both."
AHIMA forum thread
Another AAPC forum thread
While the guidelines do not spell out that you cannot use an HPI element twice, it appears to me that this is implied. For example, a patient comes in with rash all over their body. You could probably get 4 elements easy from that if you could count Location 4 times. I think it would be more useful if the documentation explained three other HPI elements instead of multiple Location.
Hope this is helpful!
I would not count any of the HPI elements twice, as this looks like "double dipping".
Here's a good AAPC article by AAPC's G.J. Verhovshek.
"McCann’s intended meaning is that you cannot use a single documented item twice within the same component of the E/M service. For instance, if the physician documents “pain since last Tuesday,” you cannot count that statement in the history of present illness (HPI) as timing and duration. It’s one or the other, but not both."
AHIMA forum thread
Another AAPC forum thread
While the guidelines do not spell out that you cannot use an HPI element twice, it appears to me that this is implied. For example, a patient comes in with rash all over their body. You could probably get 4 elements easy from that if you could count Location 4 times. I think it would be more useful if the documentation explained three other HPI elements instead of multiple Location.
Hope this is helpful!