The federal government has been pushing hospitals to reduce the number of preventable readmissions. Now it's putting some money behind the initiative by adding two new CPT codes that will allow physicians to bill for care that may help keep patients out of the hospital.
When patients leave the hospital, one key factor often determines whether they'll soon need to be readmitted: how well they follow their discharge instructions.
Many organizations across the country have learned that patient care is more effective when providers work together. One means of accomplishing this goal is by performing patient rounds using teams that include a number of different practitioners, from physicians and nurses to case managers and pharmacists.
Physician documentation must include sufficient detail to ensure that case managers can accurately estimate LOS, says Glenn Krauss, BBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, PCS, FCS, C-CDIS, CCDS, an independent health information management consultant in Madison, Wis.
Ensuring detailed documentation isn't important only with respect to documenting medical necessity. Case managers should also ensure physicians are including enough information in patient records to help them accurately estimate LOS, says Glenn Krauss, BBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, PCS, FCS, C-CDIS, CCDS, an independent health information management consultant in Madison, Wis.
