The three elements of MDM: Examine the levels of ‘problems addressed’

Why This Topic Matters

Understanding the problem-oriented MDM element helps coding professionals assess office visit level under the revised 2021 E/M framework and see how the updated structure affects documentation review and code selection.

Article Sections

1. 2021 E/M office visits

   Introduces the 2021 office visit guideline context and the broader MDM framework being discussed for evaluation and management services.

2. Defining ‘problems addressed’

   Explains the general concept of a problem in the encounter and describes the broad idea of when a problem is considered addressed under the guidelines.

3. A closer look at the 4 levels of problems addressed

   Outlines the general severity tiers for problems addressed and summarizes the types of clinical situations discussed within those tiers.

4. Consider these examples

   Provides illustrative encounter scenarios showing how different problem types are discussed in relation to office visit selection.