Tips For Auditing Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment

Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO’s) believe that the state of good health goes beyond the absence of disease or pain. The philosophy of osteopathic medicine is to recognize the whole body as an integrated being rather than independently operating body systems. They employ a unique, whole-body approach to create optimal health in every medical specialty, pediatrics to neurology.

One of the common treatment techniques utilized by DO’s is OMT. OMT is a set of manual, hands-on techniques to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. OMT can treat structural and functional issues in the body’s bones, joints, tissues, and muscles. Additionally, OMT uses the interconnected relationship between the neuromusculoskeletal system and other body systems to promote whole-body healing.

But OMT can get tricky for auditors because there are unique coding requirements. Typically, a treatment plan is not created for OMT, which is one of the distinctive components separating it from other manual treatments. This distinction is essential when establishing the necessity of billing a separate and identifiable E/M service with OMT.

And, there’s a whole lot more.

Download our free eBrief, “The In’s and Out's of Billing an E/M with OMT,” from AAPC auditing expert Jessica Whitney, for tips on how to audit Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment and accurately:

• Establish Medical Necessity
• Ensure Compliant Documentation
• Understand Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment