AHA Coding Clinic® for HCPCS - 2013 Issue 1; ASK the EDITOR
Burn treatment
A patient presents for evaluation of wounds that have been there for approximately 3 weeks. The wounds are described as “non healing (graft failure) secondary to burn from electrocution.” The patient underwent a severe electrical shock, which subsequently resulted in the loss of his right lower arm and an above the knee amputation on the right, extensive burns and deformity to the left hand and arm, as well as extensive burns and deformity to the left foot. The wounds on the left foot have developed in an area where previous skin grafts had been performed. During the present encounter, the wound on the left medial foot was debrided using a disposable #15 scalpel blade, removing devitalized tissue in the epidermal and dermal layers for an area measuring 2.6 square cm. The wound of the left lateral foot was debrided using a disposable #15 scalpel, removing devitalized tissue from the epidermal and dermal layers for an area measuring 5.16 square cm and lastly, the wound on the dorsal surface of the left foot, debridement was performed, removing devitalized tissue from the epidermal and dermal layers using a disposable #15 scalpel blade for an area of 2.4 square cm. Is it appropriate to report the services provided as burn treatment or surgical debridement? We have always noted “once a burn always a burn” that is treated, however, that may not be the case every time and we would like clarification to help us decide if burn care would be reported in the Wound Care Clinic over surgical debridement in the above case. ...
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