tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2003 Issue 12

For NPP Burn Care, Select 97601/97602

When a nonphysician practitioner (NPP) provides subsequent debridements following escharotomy or other physician-provided services, you should not report burn codes 16010-16030.  Instead, if a nurse practitioner, physician assistant or other NPP provides debridement, you should use 97601 (Removal of devitalized tissue from wound[s]; selective debridement, without anesthesia [e.g., high-pressure waterjet, sharp selective debridement with scissors, scalpel and tweezers], including topical application[s], wound assessment, and instruction[s] for ongoing care, per session) if the debridement is selective (i.e., involves cutting or removing tissue) or 97602 (... non-selective debridement, without anesthesia [e.g., wet-to-moist dressings, enzymatic, abrasion], including topical...

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