Admit it: Admission orders important in era of audits
Recovery Auditor Report, March 4, 2010
Admission orders are an important area of focus for auditors charged with the responsibility for recouping improper Medicare payments. Billing for an inpatient admission is dependent on the physician’s order. For this reason, auditors will keep a keen eye on placement orders, according to Deborah K. Hale, CCS, president and CEO of Administrative Consultant Service, LLC.
Verifying that a valid physician’s “admit” order is documented, dated and timed is an essential step in the audit process. Simply documenting the intent in the progress notes is unacceptable; a physician is required to document intent within the initial order for services, Hale says, noting that since admission orders were an issue in the RAC demonstration project, and will likely continue in the permanent RAC.
Related Products
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- CMS seeks comment on quality measures
- Practice the six rights of medication administration
- Don't forget the three checks in medication administration
- Note similarities and differences between HCPCS, CPT® codes
- CMS creates web portal for questions about 1135 waivers, PHE
- Nursing responsibilities for managing pain
- Q&A: Primary, principal, and secondary diagnoses
- ICD-10-CM coma, stroke codes require more specific documentation
- OB services: Coding inside and outside of the package
- TJC seeks input on new requirements for workplace violence prevention, resuscitative services
- E-mailed
-
- Coronavirus vaccination: 4 best practices for communicating with patients
- Q&A: Pressure ulcer POA code confusion resolved
- Neurological checks for head injuries
- Keyes Q&A: Generator lighting, fire dampers, eyewash stations, ISLM fire drills
- Including 46600 in E/M leveling systems
- How to get reimbursed for restorative nursing
- Fetal non-stress tests represent important part of maternal and fetal health
- Coding, billing, and documentation tips for teaching physicians, interns, residents, and students
- Coding tip: Know how to correctly code each procedure an otolaryngologist can perform on turbinates
- Coding Clinic reiterates guidelines for provider documentation
- Searched