Reader Question: Only Report Time that Directly Contributes to the Treatment of the Critical Patient
Question: How is physician time measured for the purpose of reporting critical care?
Answer: The duration of critical care services for both CPT® and Medicare is based on the physician’s documentation of total time spent evaluating, managing, and providing care to the critical patient, as well as time spent in documenting such activities. The physician must devote full attention and be immediately available to the particular patient for every minute of time claimed. This time may be spent at the patient’s immediate bedside or elsewhere on the unit, as long as the physician is immediately available to...
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