In the June 2016 issue of Trauma System News, we asked subscribers about their approach to billing for critical care. Readers considered the following scenario:
You see a 35-year-old male motor vehicle crash that arrives with a BP of 95/60, but responds immediately to a 500cc bolus. On CT he has a grade 4 splenic injury with a blush sign. He remains hemodynamically stable, and an angioembolization is performed. You remain with the patient the entire time to monitor his hemodynamics and then admit him to the ICU for serial hemoglobin checks, Q15m blood pressure checks and continuous telemetry.
Do you bill for critical care for the entire time you were with the patient?
The results of this non-scientific poll suggest that there is widespread agreement on critical billing. Respondents answered:
- Yes, because the patient had a constant threat to life. 100%
- No, because the patient had no active system failure. 0%
Note: The purpose of the Trauma System News reader poll is to generate discussion and highlight important issues. Poll results are not statistically representative.
