Commonly Asked Coding Questions—and the Answers

Mary LeGrand RN, MA, CCS-P, CPC

This month’s coding column addresses commonly asked questions related to coding or reimbursement issues. Pediatric spine Q: A new pediatric spine surgeon has joined the practice. He is planning a surgical procedure in which he will be placing instrumentation, but will not be doing any additional procedures at that session. How is this case coded when the surgery is performed, because the instrumentation codes are add-on codes?

Care Transitions and Meaningful Use Criteria

Howard Mevis

The goal of electronic health records (EHR) is to enhance interaction with disconnected data sources. Every day, for example, various forms of information technology within an orthopaedic practice—including picture archiving and communications systems, billing and coding systems, and practice management systems—feed data into or use data from an EHR. Thus, it is key that information technology systems within a practice be coordinated.

Measuring Up: What an Orthopaedic Group Should Expect in a Practice Manager/CEO

Jennifer A. O’Brien, MSOD

Jennifer A. O’Brien, MSOD On any given issue within a group practice—whether operational or organizational—it may be difficult for an individual physician partner to see the issue from any perspective other than his or her own. Older physicians sometimes don’t understand the younger physicians’ points of view and vice versa. Longtime practice competitors or rivalries may loom larger in some partners’ minds than in others.

HIPAA Highlights: What Orthopaedists Need to Know

Kathleen L. DeBruhl, JD, and Gilbert F. Ganucheau Jr, JD Most physician practices are familiar with their obligation to protect a patient’s protected health information (PHI) under the privacy and security standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Recently adopted new rules have changed some of the old understandings and require the identification and modification of certain policies.

New Certification Program for Geriatric Fracture Care

Founded in 2012, the International Geriatric Fracture Society (IGFS) is a nonprofit, 501(c)6-designated organization whose mission is to be recognized as the foremost international authority for collaboration on the delivery of evidence-based, patient-centered care for the treatment of geriatric or fragility fractures.

How Well Do You Compare?

Each year, Medscape, a part of the WebMD Health Professional Network, conducts a compensation study using a third-party online survey collection site. During the period Dec. 11, 2013, through Jan. 24, 2014, more than 24,000 physicians—including 722 orthopaedists—responded to questions about their compensation, number of hours worked, practice changes resulting from healthcare reform, and adaptations to the new healthcare environment.