Re: Concurrent Therapy

[Guest guest]

The CPT definition (97150 Therapeutic procedures, group) actually states

that " The patients/clients do not have to be performing the same

activity simultaneously however the need for skilled intervention must

be documented. "

I've never seen concurrent procedures defined anywhere, but if it is I

would love to find out. Life would be much easier!

Hope that helps.

Aloha,

Collin, MSPT, CSCS

Clinical Leader of Rehab Services

North Hawaii Community Hospital

collinjs@...

[Guest guest]

If a PT or OT bills for time with a patietn based on the time increnments

established by the CPT codes it must be one on one, if more than one patient

is seen at a time and overlaps, dovetails, another patietn then a group

charge must be used when it pertains to CPT codes such as ther ex manual or

other modalities which are designated as one on one. The overlapping of

patients and charging each individually for an hour time is what placed our

profession in the overutilization situation during the cost reimbursment

days, one therapist seeing 14 plus patients in an 8 hour day and billing each

for an hour.

The use of aide's, massage therapist, exercise physiologists, athletic

trainers while utilized in many " Orthopedic " facilities. Has led to this type

of situation as well and begins to constitute fraud when services are not

perfromed by PT's or OT's but billed as such. We see this in the cases in

which patient's diagnosed with lymphedema and are ordered physical or

occupational therapy and the are give to a massage therapist to perfrom the

treatment. While technically the massage therapist may have the skill to

perfrom manual lymphatic drainage, medicare law prevents the delivery of

phyiscal therapy by anyone except a PT or a PTA. Delegation to a non

therapist is intended for duties of set-up, patient follow up, movement of

patients through a clinic etc.

If we continue to dilute our profession, then as reimbursment contiues to

decrease (avmed paying 26 dollars per diem) then the quality of our care

decreases. We need to justify why PT intervention is necessary and why the

educational support is required, We as a profession continues to elevate our

educational status, now offering DPT as the possible standard so delegation

for PT OT intervention to non qualified staff becomes a detriment to our

profession.

For what it is worth,

Kunkel MSPT,MLD-CDT