Wiki Sbirt

[LKaf7]

Hello,

My practice has started giving out SBIRT surveys. If the results are not reviewed with the pt, would the work effort of giving out the surveys be included in the E/M service?

Thank you!

 

[danskangel313]

"SBIRT services are defined as alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured assessment (for example, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Drug Abuse Screening Test) and brief intervention."
http://www.samhsa.gov/sbirt/coding-reimbursement

By definition, SBIRT services must include the brief intervention. "Based on the screening score, the provider performs a brief intervention, documenting the nature of that intervention. For instance, the provider may discuss the negative health and social consequences of continuing the substance abuse, talk to the patient about how much and how often the substance abuse occurs, discuss with the patient steps for changing behavior, and create plans for taking those next steps."

Why would the assessment be done and not discussed with the patient?

 

[LKaf7]

Thank you

I am not sure why the results are not being reviewed. I've come across the survey being completed and then stating "results not reviewed with pt" in the chart, so then I would assume we would not be able to bill for it?

 

[danskangel313]

Thank you

I am not sure why the results are not being reviewed. I've come across the survey being completed and then stating "results not reviewed with pt" in the chart, so then I would assume we would not be able to bill for it?

Well, does that documentation state nothing was found in the survey that was relevant? If there weren't any findings worth addressing and that's documented, maybe you could incorporate the work into the E/M charge... but I'm not certain of that. Along those lines, if nothing was found and the provider documented some sort of proactive preventive discussion, I could see that possibly meeting the criteria for the SBIRT charge...?