To follow up on the recent communications regarding the use of 99072, I wanted to share some more helpful information and another example of documentation that needs to be included in your chart notes.

Create your own “care plan” when billing 99072, by recording all the efforts being made (above and beyond pre-COVID clinic protocols) from appointment scheduling through check-out (and everything in between). If this process causes you realize that not enough is being done to keep patients, team members, and doctors safe, please take steps to improve or reinstate your “COVID era” protocols immediately.

If you are asking “COVID” questions at check-in, this may be causing bottlenecks at the front desk. Consider handing out a questionnaire which patients should complete and sign along with providing a preferred phone number in case there is an unforeseen incident (like when a patient calls days after their appointment to inform you of exposure or a positive test). If you are not telling patients to “keep the pen” then keep a cup of “clean” pens behind the front desk and a “dirty” cup for patients to place used pens. Make sure your patients are able to see that you are making efforts to keep them safe (all staff and doctors masked, surfaces continually disinfected, waiting area chairs spaced 6 feet apart, high risk patients taken immediately back to a treatment room, temperatures taken prior to visit, and even the option to call the office upon arrival and wait in their vehicle until you are ready for them).

Here are examples/suggestions for:

A script for patient reminder calls during the continued COVID era
A questionnaire for patients to complete and sign upon arrival (which could also be uploaded to your E H R and completed via kiosk or iPad).
Documentation when billing 99072

Yes, it is more work, but we have to remain diligent and do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19.