Q: It seems that telemedicine is here to stay, but perhaps not every patient is ready to use telemedicine. What are your best strategies for assessing a person's abilities with technology?
Q: During an outpatient visit, a nurse reviews the patient’s medical history and a physician performs an examination in the presence of the nurse. If you adhere to the 2021 E/M guidelines and use time as the controlling factor for code selection, can you report one E/M code for these shared services?
Q: Under what circumstances can a CE disclose PHI to family and friends of the patient? Does the patient always need to verbally consent to the disclosure? For example, if a patient brings a friend or family member with him or her into the emergency room, should the doctor assume that the patient is OK with the friend or family member being privy to PHI?
Q: A recent study by the California Lab Policy reported 50% of unsheltered individuals experience "tri-morbidity" (co-occurring physical health, mental health, and substance abuse challenges), compared to just 2% of sheltered individuals. What can case managers do to assist these patients?