Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Linking procedures to CPT codes

I am designing macros for the various surgical procedures that I perform. How do I link the appropriate CPT code to each procedure?

If I understand what you are asking, it cannot be done since the Assessment and plan sections are different. I know this was a feature I was hoping Jon was going to incorporate since I mentioned it to him at the ACUC meeting.

How do you do the macros?

I think he means templates. If you right-click in any space within the encounter note window, you are brought to the template screen. You can either choose an existing template, or make a new one. As Jack says, the templates are exclusive for the encounter note section (i.e., history, exam, plan, etc) in which they are created.

Thanks

Another option you might think about is to do all of your 'procedures' as Addendums - that way the note is identifiable as a separate encounter and then you can put RECOMMEND EXCISIONAL BIOPSY, CRYOTHERAPY, ETC. Then you put any procedure as a separate addendum - you can actually sign your note then go in and create addendums and append them onto that note so it looks like one big note with procedures, but would show in your EMR as 1)office note or evaluation and 2) separately identifiable procedure. I do this as I think this most closely resembles what the coding gurus see when you are billing a note with a modifier and then a procedure on the same day.

I did mean templates. The idea of placing the procedure notes as an addendum is a good one. It appears though that I must generate a CPT code each time I do this. Is there a way to automate this a little more?

You could make a template for each procedure, and fill in the particulars, i.e.:

PROCEDURE: punch biopsy of the skin (11100)
SITE: [left/right] [upper/lower] [extremity/face]
PREOP DIAGNOSIS: Unspecified disorder of skin and subcutaneous tissue (709.8)
POSTOP DIAGNOSIS: Malignant neoplasm of connective and other soft tissue site unspecified (171.8)
Using Betadine prep and sterile technique...

Obviously, I am probably way off base with the codes, but just an example of my suggestion...