Can You Identify What Qualifies as an E/M  Consultation?

A physician's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive care to the patients they serve. And sometimes, to achieve that goal, it requires physicians (and other healthcare providers) to seek assistance from their colleagues. This assistance can be in the form of a simple question, or it can be more formal, as in the request of a clinical consultation. But how can we tell what qualifies as an E/M consultation, and hence, be billed as one?

Around here, we use a simple formula called "The 4 Rs," which are:

• Request: Requests must come from another provider for a consultation.  
• Reason (or Intent): This must be clear that the requesting provider is asking help in the evaluation or treatment of the patient. 
• Rendering of Service: The consulting provider must perform a face-to-face visit with the patient in order to qualify.
• Report: A written report from the consulting physician's findings and recommendations must be provided to the requesting physician. 

With The 4 Rs in mind, can you tell which dates of service qualify as a consultation? We invite you to take our short quiz and find out...