3-Pronged Approach to Understanding the Patient’s Problem.

When the 2021 E/M guidelines were announced, they served as an opportunity for a fresh start. Not only to the way we code and audit but, more fundamentally, how we think about our work.

The changes are an opportunity for us coders and auditors to evolve. And to think differently. Rather than just reading the note, from top to bottom, then looking for words to check off our bullets, we must think more like a clinician, and truly understand who the patient is. By doing so, we will be more informed and, therefore, more likely to select the correct level of service.

Around here, we came up with a new three-pronged approach, which we have documented in a new eBrief, titled “A New Way for You to Approach the 2021 E/M Guidelines.” Download it now, and we’ll guide through our three steps, and show you how to:

• Understand the Patient
• Understand the Problem
• Understand the Risks