hanihosni
Contributor
Hello,
A patient presents for an E/M visit and he has chronic pain for which he takes analgesics. The pain is being described as tolerable, or 4/10 instead of 8/10 in severity, while the medication is taken. Is that condition considered stable or unstable (since the pain level is tolerable or 4/10 but it's still there and did not resolve) ? It is stated in the guidelines that as long as the symptoms have not reached the baseline, the condition is considered unstable. In this case can "tolerable" be considered baseline or does it have to be resolved ?
Hani E.
A patient presents for an E/M visit and he has chronic pain for which he takes analgesics. The pain is being described as tolerable, or 4/10 instead of 8/10 in severity, while the medication is taken. Is that condition considered stable or unstable (since the pain level is tolerable or 4/10 but it's still there and did not resolve) ? It is stated in the guidelines that as long as the symptoms have not reached the baseline, the condition is considered unstable. In this case can "tolerable" be considered baseline or does it have to be resolved ?
Hani E.