Is there a minimum amount of time a treatment must be provided for an untimed code like unattended stim?
Answer
No. There is not. Those are untimed. What would be looked at is the professional standard. The professional standard or the provider’s manual that comes with that particular device typically has recommended parameters; time of which is one. If you are staying within the norms of your industry, then that is fine. If you place an electrical stimulation unit on a patient for five minutes for no reason and if I saw that a lot, I would be very concerned. I would probably consider it billable if you had a good reason, which should be documented. In most situations, when you would do such a small amount of time, the efficacy of that particular modality would most likely not be optimal.
Mary R. Daulong, PT, CHC, CHP
Mary Daulong, PT, CHC, CHP is a physical therapist and is also certified in Healthcare Compliance by the Health Care Compliance Certification Board and the HIPAA Academy. Her consulting company, Business & Clinical Management Services, Inc. was established in 1985 and has been, for the past dozen years, 100% dedicated to working with rehab professionals in the areas of federal and state compliance, provider enrollment, practice and business office audits/surveys, payment policy: billing, coding, documentation and compliance policy and procedure manual production.
Mary is chair of the TPTA’s Payment Policy Committee, is a member of the Private Practice Payment Policy Committee and is the representative for PT & OT for Jurisdiction JH. She is also on Novitas Solutions’ Provider Outreach Education Advisory Board and has been recently served on Novitas Solutions’ JH Transition Consulting Team.
Mary has been a featured speaker at National, State and Section Annual Conferences and is one of the contributing authors to “Compliance Corner” for the Private Practice Section’s Impact Magazine.
Related Courses
1https://www.physicaltherapy.com/pt-ceus/course/mindfulness-beyond-guided-meditation-3902Mindfulness: Beyond Guided MeditationMindfulness can be a really powerful cognitive-behavioral tool and has many relevant applications when treating patients with pain, especially chronic pain. Many courses for rehabilitation professionals teach guided meditation, which is an amazing tool. However, mindfulness has many other applications and opportunities for use in the treatment of patients with pain. This session discusses the history and science behind mindfulness, as well as provides a variety of practical mindfulness tools for the everyday practitioner. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.auditory, textual, visual129USDSubscriptionUnlimited COURSE Access for $129/yearOnlineOnlyPhysicalTherapy.comwww.physicaltherapy.comMindfulness: Beyond Guided MeditationMindfulness can be a really powerful cognitive-behavioral tool and has many relevant applications when treating patients with pain, especially chronic pain. Many courses for rehabilitation professionals teach guided meditation, which is an amazing tool. However, mindfulness has many other applications and opportunities for use in the treatment of patients with pain. This session discusses the history and science behind mindfulness, as well as provides a variety of practical mindfulness tools for the everyday practitioner. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.3902OnlinePT120M
Mindfulness can be a really powerful cognitive-behavioral tool and has many relevant applications when treating patients with pain, especially chronic pain. Many courses for rehabilitation professionals teach guided meditation, which is an amazing tool. However, mindfulness has many other applications and opportunities for use in the treatment of patients with pain. This session discusses the history and science behind mindfulness, as well as provides a variety of practical mindfulness tools for the everyday practitioner. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.
2https://www.physicaltherapy.com/pt-ceus/course/diabetes-in-adults-current-guidelines-3958Diabetes in Adults: Current Guidelines and EvidenceThis course gives us an overview of diabetes in adults, discusses current perspectives and guidelines, and addresses its significance in PT practice. It also looks at some of the current literature that addresses the evidence for risk factors and interventions and to see how they may apply to our practices. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.auditory, textual, visual129USDSubscriptionUnlimited COURSE Access for $129/yearOnlineOnlyPhysicalTherapy.comwww.physicaltherapy.comDiabetes in Adults: Current Guidelines and EvidenceThis course gives us an overview of diabetes in adults, discusses current perspectives and guidelines, and addresses its significance in PT practice. It also looks at some of the current literature that addresses the evidence for risk factors and interventions and to see how they may apply to our practices. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.3958OnlinePT120M
This course gives us an overview of diabetes in adults, discusses current perspectives and guidelines, and addresses its significance in PT practice. It also looks at some of the current literature that addresses the evidence for risk factors and interventions and to see how they may apply to our practices. This course is directly related to the practice of physical therapy and is therefore appropriate for the PT/PTA.
3https://www.physicaltherapy.com/pt-ceus/course/maximizing-patient-engagement-through-science-4595Maximizing Patient Engagement Through the Science of Behavioral EconomicsLearn the evidence and the application of mastering your soft skills to optimize the patient experience and patient engagement. Be ready to improve in every aspect of patient care from the interview, diagnosis, education, intervention, and home exercise prescription.auditory, textual, visual129USDSubscriptionUnlimited COURSE Access for $129/yearOnlineOnlyPhysicalTherapy.comwww.physicaltherapy.comMaximizing Patient Engagement Through the Science of Behavioral EconomicsLearn the evidence and the application of mastering your soft skills to optimize the patient experience and patient engagement. Be ready to improve in every aspect of patient care from the interview, diagnosis, education, intervention, and home exercise prescription.4595OnlinePT180M
Learn the evidence and the application of mastering your soft skills to optimize the patient experience and patient engagement. Be ready to improve in every aspect of patient care from the interview, diagnosis, education, intervention, and home exercise prescription.
4https://www.physicaltherapy.com/pt-ceus/course/applications-in-fear-most-pervasive-4596Applications in Fear: The Most Pervasive Complication That You Can Treat and PreventWe all have fear, it is pervasive. In this course, we learn about how to recognize, treat, and prevent the secondary complications of fear – with an evidence-based approach.auditory, textual, visual129USDSubscriptionUnlimited COURSE Access for $129/yearOnlineOnlyPhysicalTherapy.comwww.physicaltherapy.comApplications in Fear: The Most Pervasive Complication That You Can Treat and PreventWe all have fear, it is pervasive. In this course, we learn about how to recognize, treat, and prevent the secondary complications of fear – with an evidence-based approach.4596OnlinePT120M
We all have fear, it is pervasive. In this course, we learn about how to recognize, treat, and prevent the secondary complications of fear – with an evidence-based approach.
5https://www.physicaltherapy.com/pt-ceus/course/alzheimer-s-and-other-dementias-4864Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Overview for Healthcare ProfessionalsAn overview for healthcare professionals about Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders is provided in this course. Characteristics of the dementias, such as symptoms, progression, and how they are diagnosed, are described. Care planning strategies for improving communication with patients and families, understanding and managing behavioral challenges, and promoting independence are also discussed.auditory, textual, visual129USDSubscriptionUnlimited COURSE Access for $129/yearOnlineOnlyPhysicalTherapy.comwww.physicaltherapy.comAlzheimer's and Other Dementias: Overview for Healthcare ProfessionalsAn overview for healthcare professionals about Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders is provided in this course. Characteristics of the dementias, such as symptoms, progression, and how they are diagnosed, are described. Care planning strategies for improving communication with patients and families, understanding and managing behavioral challenges, and promoting independence are also discussed.4864OnlinePT60M
An overview for healthcare professionals about Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders is provided in this course. Characteristics of the dementias, such as symptoms, progression, and how they are diagnosed, are described. Care planning strategies for improving communication with patients and families, understanding and managing behavioral challenges, and promoting independence are also discussed.
