General Surgery Coding Alert - 2019 Issue 8
You Be the Coder: Know When the Critical Care Clock Starts Running
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Article Overview
This premium article addresses a common critical care coding question about when reported time begins and how time is treated before and during patient care. It is aimed at coders, billers, and clinicians who work with E/M and critical care documentation, and it highlights general guidance from AMA-related resources and ACEP on time accounting for critical care services.
Why This Topic Matters
Accurate critical care time reporting depends on understanding when time can and cannot be counted. This article helps readers recognize the kinds of activities that fall outside reported time and the broad circumstances that affect time accrual.
Article Sections
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Question
Introduces a reader question about when critical care time should begin and what point in the care process matters for counting time.
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Answer
Summarizes general guidance on pre-service work, time spent on patient-related activities, and the handling of separately reportable services during critical care time tracking.
What You Will Learn
- How the article frames the start of critical care time reporting
- What types of pre-service activities are discussed in relation to time counting
- How professional guidance addresses time spent on patient-related work during critical care
- Why separately reportable services are relevant to critical care time accrual
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billers
- Emergency department staff
- Physicians
- Revenue cycle professionals
Codes Discussed
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