The AMA added five new nuclear medicine codes to the radiology section of the 2013 CPT Manual, while revising and deleting a number of codes that represented outdated technology or were bundled into placement procedures.
When coders hear the words "interventional radiology," many think of vascular procedures. However, interventional radiology encompasses additional, nonvascular procedures, such as nephrostomy tube placement and drainage of abscesses.
Physicians and other providers practice in many different areas within a hospital. To accurately code physician and provider services, coders must know and understand the place of service (POS) codes.
One of the major changes to the 2013 CPT Manual is the replacement of the term "physician" with "physician or other qualified healthcare professional" (QHP) in a wide range of codes.