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Cardiology Coding

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Medical Coding for Cardiology
Medical coding for cardiologists entails a specialized set of skills that are vital when applying the diverse, and highly precise, diagnoses and procedures that define this type of practice. Within the cardiology specialty field, there exists a determined need for heightened specificity and qualified documentation with respect to the subsequent effects of any treatment/procedure and the patient’s status and condition. These demands call for an experienced, certified cardiology coding specialist.
The three areas in which the ICD-10 has called for change that relates specifically to the practice of cardiology include changes in definitions, the need for increased specificity, and refinements and negations with regard to terminology. For Example:
• The revised timeframe defining an AMI …show more content…

Skilled coders with definitive experience in cardiology documentation and coding applications readily recognize, and accurately interpret, the characteristics of each visit or procedure:

• Clinical relevance of an office visit: Initial consultation, routine check-up, occurrence or event documentation, cardiac monitoring and testing, or clearance for surgery.
• Ability to read and condense physician office and operative notes to appropriately summarize the visit, or procedure, and create an effective synopsis.
• Thorough documentation of test results and related diagnosis that links all relative documentation forming an exact interconnection between all services and procedures. This is essential in that failure to provide supportive documentation that correctly corresponds to the chain of services leaves the practice exposed to reimbursement denial and potential liability.
• Accurate attribution of combination codes.

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