Dermatology Coding Challenges
According to ‘Coding 2017 and beyond’, an article published in the Dermatology Times, dermatologists should be prepared for increased audits by Medicare’s CERT (Comprehensive Error Rate Testing) program, OIG, ZPIC and the RAC of their dermatology billing. In order to avoid these increased audits, dermatologists will need to submit detailed documentation which has to include histopathology with Mohs operative notes.
Medical Coding
With the prevalence of electronic health records (EHR), adequate and proper documentation and coding has become an important aspect of modern medicine. Although documentation in the form of electronic records carry benefits such as ease of inter-physician communication and legibility (for some reason a doctor’s handwriting is always tough to decipher) it can also pose coding risks.
Although acne is one of the most common skin conditions amongst teenagers, it can affect people of all ages. A chronic, inflammatory condition of the skin, acne causes pimples and spots, with upper arms, neck, chest, back, shoulders and face the most commonly affected areas. Commonly occurring during puberty; it affects nearly 85% of people between 12 and 24 years of age in the US.
Clinical documentation has been around for centuries. There are records from the 18th and 19th centuries that show the detailed observation and findings recorded by doctors of that time. However, clinical documentation has undergone drastic changes over the years. In the early days, clinical documentation was used as a record of the patient’s diagnosis and treatment for future reference.