Medical Codes to Report Stroke

Hey all, this is Loralee Kapp, the Solutions Manager with Managed Outsourced Solutions. Today I want totalk to you about medical coding of stroke and stroke risk factors. For a full list of CPT and ICD 10 codes associated with this podcast, please see the attached article.

00:17 Neurology Medical Billing Outsourcing Support Providers

Healthcare providers must provide urgent medical attention if a patient arrives at the hospital with a suspected stroke. The patient undergoes a number of tests to confirm the diagnosis and risk factors of the stroke. The healthcare provider must give the utmost care and attention to achieve the complete and accurate documentation, code assignment, reporting and diagnosis, and the treatments and procedures. Neurology medical billing outsourcing is a practical way to ensure that the medical billing process is up-to-date and error -free.The results of the stroke are devastating, sometimes resulting in physical, cognitive and mental disabilities. So, rapid and accurate diagnosis is essential for providing immediate patient care.

01:04 Types of strokes

There are three main types of strokes:

• Ischemic
• Hemorrhagic stroke
• Transient ischemic attack

01:13 Diagnostic Tests To Be Reported On the Medical Claim

This may include:

Physical examination

The blood pressure and heartbeat are analyzed to determine the cause of the stroke. A neurological examination is also conducted to know how the stroke is affecting the nervous system.

Blood tests

Profiling of the blood is carried out to know the level of cholesterol and glucose, and tests are done to assess how fast the blood is clotting.

CT Scan

The patient must undergo neuro-imaging within one hour of getting admitted to the hospital. In a CT scan, a series of X-rays are used to have detailed images of the brain. It can show if any bleeding is present due to the brain stroke, tumor or any neurological conditions.

MRI

An MRI can detect if there has been brain tissue damage accompanying the stroke and brain hemorrhages. This will help by providing a detailed image of the brain.

Carotid Ultrasound

A carotid ultrasound can help provide detailed images of the inside of the carotid arteries in the neck, which are created with the help of sound waves. The test is done to detect the presence of buildup of fatty deposits and blood flow in the carotid arteries.

Echo cardiogram

An echo cardiogram may be completed. This is a live image test done to monitor the heart’s activity. Detailed images of the heart are taken with the help of sound waves to find the source of clots that might have travelled to the brain.

Brain strokes are a serious medical emergency and it is vital to provide excellent patient care in such demanding circumstances. Relying on the neurological medical billing company can assist with the timely and accurate as well as complete documentation of the diagnoses and procedures.