Archived - CMS Consults Prior to 2010 / Intraoperative consultation Three scenarios to help you decide

Why This Topic Matters

Intraoperative specialty involvement can be difficult to classify correctly, and consult reporting depends on documentation and the nature of the request. This article helps readers understand the general CMS consult framework and why similar surgical encounters may be billed differently.

Article Sections

1. Consult documentation basics and CMS guidance

   Introduces the core documentation concepts tied to consult reporting in shared-record or operative settings. Summarizes CMS manual guidance at a broad level and frames the issue for the scenarios that follow.

2. Scenario 1

   Presents an intraoperative specialty call involving control of an acute problem during surgery. The section explains why the encounter is treated differently from a consult.

3. Scenario 2

   Describes an operative-session request that leads to evaluation and later follow-up care. The section covers documentation considerations and the broader consult-versus-follow-up context.

4. Scenario 3

   Reviews an intraoperative airway-related request during bariatric surgery and the related consult framework. The section also touches on associated procedure reporting and documentation expectations.

5. Additional consult guidance and manual revision note

   Notes a later manual revision related to consultant-initiated services and reinforces the article’s overall consult guidance. This concluding material places the scenarios in a broader CMS policy context.