A recent Hutch News article reports that 6.5 million Americans grapple with the repercussions of chronic wounds daily. Wound care services constitute a significant portion of the revenue earned by hospitals and physicians, as revealed by a 2013 study in the Journal of Hospital Administration.
Common chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity are predominantly treated with patients dealing with chronic wounds. The term "wound care" goes over the treatment, the evaluation, and the management of wounds, according to the provider.
To accurately report wound care services, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of skin anatomy, wound care service codes, and documentation standards. Let's delve into the prevalent CPT codes employed in wound care management.
List of Wound Care CPT Codes:
Wounds excluding subcutaneous tissue
97597: Open wound debridement (e.g., high-pressure waterjet, with or without suction, sharp selective debridement with scissors, scalpels, and forceps), including topical applications, wound assessment, use of a whirlpool, when performed, and instructions for ongoing care, per session, total wound(s) surface area; first 20 sq cm or less
+97598: Each extra 20 square centimeters, or portions thereof (to be listed separately)
Active Wound Care Management CPT Codes
29580–29584: Application of strapping under lower extremity—any age
97598-97602: The active wound care management category for various debridement techniques
97605-97607: The active wound care management category for NPWT (negative pressure wound therapy) formats
99071-99091: Miscellaneous medical services for procedural services related to communication and patient management
99070-99071: Miscellaneous medical services for tools and components used in wound care
36465–36468: During Telangiectasia and incompetent vein sclerotherapy, these codes reference the installation or removal of non-tunneled and tunneled central venous access devices (CVADs)
36470–36471: During Telangiectasia and incompetent vein sclerotherapy, these codes reference the installation or replacement of peripheral venous access devices (PVADs)
36475–36479: these codes refer to the installation or replacement of implanted ports used for long-term venous access to treat wounds for Endovascular Ablation Therapy.
97032–97036: Range of therapeutic exercise techniques including, manual therapy methods, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and mechanical traction.
97039: General physical medicine and rehabilitation services, typically used for services that aren't listed under other specific codes.
(15220-15241) This range of codes include tissue-cultured autografts, complex wound defects, wounds requiring grafts, flaps, advanced closure methods, etc.
(29540-29581) Strapping under lower extremities (any age)
(20520-20551) This range of codes include General Musculoskeletal System Introduction or Removal, injection and aspiration of soft tissue, joints, and bursas.
(17000-17111) Procedures for destruction of benign or premalignant integumentary lesions and suspicious or slow healing lesions close to wounds.
(27506-27509) This range of codes go over femur (thigh region) with knee joint fracture and/or dislocation procedures, whether the tibial shaft fracture is open or closed.
In conclusion, accurate wound care coding and billing play a pivotal role in hospital revenue management. Adept knowledge of current coding standards, coupled with attention to detail, is indispensable. Healthcare practitioners seeking reliable wound care coding services can turn to Bonfire Revenue, a premier RCM service. With our in-depth expertise in wound care coding, we offer precise, dependable, and efficient coding and billing services, enabling healthcare providers to focus on delivering excellent patient care while we handle complex coding and billing tasks.
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