Who can discharge pt?

[AmandaW]

Does the attending physician/group have to be the one(s) to discharge the patient? What if the cardiologist was consulted and took over care-can they discharge patient although they didn't admit them?

 

[OCD_coder]

From WPS Medicare website:

Q2. The surgeon admitted the patient for surgery. However, due to a change in the patient's condition, the internist followed the patient and wrote the discharge orders. Who can bill the discharge? Is this a transfer of care?

A2. CMS IOM Publication 100-04, Chapter 12,, Section 30.6.9.2 B, discusses the discharge visit and states, "Only the attending physician of record reports the discharge day management service. Physicians or qualified non-physician practitioners, other than the attending physician, who have been managing concurrent health care problems not primarily managed by the attending physician, and who are not acting on behalf of the attending physician shall use Subsequent Hospital Care (CPT code range 99231 - 99233) for a final visit."

http://wpsmedicare.com/j5macpartb/resources/provider_types/2009_0629_emfaqdischarge.shtml