tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2010 Issue 6

Reader Questions: Remember Difference Between Debridement, Wound Management

Question:When the physician cleans a wound and surrounding infected tissue by scraping with a sharp curette (not excising tissue), is it appropriate to use a debridement code or should we report an active wound care management code from the range 97597-97606?Oregon SubscriberAnswer:Physicians typically use the debridement codes (11000-11001, Debridement of extensive eczematous or infected skin; ... or 11004-11005, Debridement of skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle and fascia for necrotizing soft tissue infection; ...) for debridement by any method.Without question these codes most closely describe wound debridement by sharp curettement. You should only report wound care management codes such as...

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