Burn Coding and Wound Care Coding

The fund of knowledge required by burn coding and wound care coding is unique insofar as it encompasses evaluation-and-management coding, plastic and reconstructive surgery coding, infectious disease comorbidities, pulmonology if superheated air or toxic smoke was inhaled, dermatology, pain management, and frequently vascular surgery and other clinical specialties. The fact that it is so broad in scope, yet so focused in its goals means that burn coding presents a series of unique challenges.  Burn coders need to be familiar with essentially all of these clinical subspecialties and have a thorough understanding of the involved wide range of conditions and related treatments, as well as the complications and comorbidities that frequently arise.  Knowing the intricacies of the Medical Decision Making components of the service is pivotal to accurate burn and wound care coding.  The Coding Network’s burn and wound coding team offers you:

• Leadership by a nationally known burn and wound care coder who is both a certified coder and a certified Physician Assistant (PA-C) as well as an instructor of coding.
• 25+ years experience in hands-on burn/trauma and wound patient care
• 25+ years experience in burn coding and wound coding.

Burn Coding and Wound Care Coding Need

• The nature of wound care involves a preponderance of senior citizens, the vast majority of whom are covered by Medicare and Medicaid.  The OIG feels that there have been billing abuses involving the care of decubitus ulcers, so its annual Work Plan targets these providers for additional scrutiny and audits.
• Burn coding and wound care coding encompasses multiple clinical specialties. This makes burn coding and wound care coding significantly more complicated.  Burn coding and wound care coding training and experience is critical for coding accuracy.
• Experienced and skilled burn coders and wound care coders are hard to find and can demand high salaries.
• Few burn coders and wound care coders have the certified procedural coder designation, a symbol of career commitment and of quality coding.
• Coding rules and regulations for burn coding and wound care coding are complex, change often, and errors can be costly to the practice or create major compliance audit exposure.   Inadvertent coding errors on a Medicare or Medicaid claim can flag a practice for intensive audits.
• Coder turnover creates cash flow peaks and valleys.
• With so few coders specializing in burn coding and wound care coding, it is difficult to find and hire experienced coders, even in large metropolitan areas.  Medical practices and hospitals in smaller communities and tight labor markets have trouble filling openings.

Burn Coding and Wound Care Coding Solution

• TCN’s team of burn coders and wound care coders have the necessary specialty subspecialty coding experience to accurately code for this subspecialty.
• Our certified and specialty-experienced burn coders and wound care coders will code your services within 2-to-3 workdays when sent consistently.
• We will identify documentation deficiencies to help improve the quality of your medical records and optimize reimbursement.
• Our volume-driven per-service pricing model is cost effective and our team of coders stabilizes cash flow performance.
• Reduce compliance audit exposure due to inadvertent coding errors or persistent errors by noncompliant physicians.
• A practical and affordable solution for your burn coding and wound care coding needs to improve coding and documentation.

Burn Coding and Wound Care Coding Services

• Temporary or ongoing burn coding and wound care coding coverage for all or part of your caseload.
• Backlog coding resolution services.
• Compliance and missed revenue audits.
• Charge-ticket (“superbill”) updates and redesigns to stay current with coding changes.
• Physician documentation and code selection training.
• Physician group documentation deficiency reporting.
• Burn coding and wound care coding helpline services.
• OIG and RAC audit defense.