Medical Staff

Avoid coding pitfalls to receive proper reimbursement

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, June 27, 2007

Mention coding to just about any physician and the response will likely be a groan. It is a task most find tedious and time-consuming. But knowing how to code appropriately ensures that both the physician and the hospital are properly reimbursed, according to an article in the June issue of Hospitalist Management Advisor (HMA), published by HCPro, Inc.

Charlene Porter-Townsend, a coding and billing consultant in Sheridan, IN, is quoted in the article as saying that the key to securing appropriate reimbursement is accurate documentation. She advises physicians to document everything, including patient care tasks that are intuitive.

The article also provides coding tips like this one: Don't rely on your hospital's auditors to let coding oversights slide or to make the link between the physician's notes and the time spent coordinating the patient's discharge. Not all auditors will do this work for you.

To learn more about HMA or to subscribe, go to www.hcpro.com/content/70572.cfm.

Most Popular

Related Articles