Wiki Surgery start time debate

[QUINNEY0524]

Good Morning:

I am having a Surgery Start time debate with some of my associates.
I am billing for the professional fee with this question.

I have a patient that was registered into the Emergency Dept on 08/26/2011 @23:30.

The patient went to the operating room directly from the Emergency Dept 08/26/2011@23:55.

The physician dictated his operative report with the date of service as 08/27/2011; as the case ended on 08/27/2011 @ 04:00.

I am saying that the date of service is 08/26/2011 since the case did start at 23:55.

The others are saying we have to go with 08/27/2011 since that is the date that is documented on the operative report.

I think we should be able to go back to the physician and ask him to either amend the operative report, and or state the case indeed started on 08/27/2011.

Thank you so much for any feed back I can receive on this.

Kathie

 

[FTessaBartels]

Look at the anesthesia record

Our anesthesia record shows
Anesthesia Start
End Induction
Surgery start
Surgery end
Anesthesia End

I would go by the "surgery start" time listed on the anesthesia record. If the patient GOT to the OR at 23.55, I would guess that surgery didn't begin until after midnight.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[acf7575]

Look at the anesthesia record

Our anesthesia record shows
Anesthesia Start
End Induction
Surgery start
Surgery end
Anesthesia End

I would go by the "surgery start" time listed on the anesthesia record. If the patient GOT to the OR at 23.55, I would guess that surgery didn't begin until after midnight.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

CMS has a MLN Matters Article that may be helpful to some regarding the date of service matter.
MLN Matters Number: SE17023 Guidance on Coding and Billing Date of Service on Professional Claims.
https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Ed...-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE17023.pdf

 

[amyjph]

We always went with the start of anesthesia/start time/date of the case.