“I am starting to find that coders don’t want to deal with querying the physician,” Ms. Jones says. Some physicians may be hard to reach or cryptic about their operative report even when the coder talks to them. She says the problem usually doesn’t apply to physician-owners, who worry about the center’s bottom line and will therefore be more willing to go over inconsistencies or confusing language in the operative report. But independent physicians with privileges at the center may need extra guidance to make sure they communicate with coders effectively.
Read more coding advice:
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–4 Changes to Pain Management Coding in 2011
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