New CMS Rule Allows Physician Collaboration in Face-To-Face Encounters
A new rule by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adds a little flexibility for physicians ordering home health for their patients following a hospitalization or other facility stay.
Effective Jan. 1, 2012, CMS regulations for face-to-face encounters allow the patient's primary care physician to take information from a physician who had a face-to-face encounter during a patient's acute or post-acute facility stay. The certifying physician may then document the face-to-face encounter and certify the patient for home health based upon the reported information.
- Upon discharge from a hospital or post-acute facility, the attending physician can inform the certifying physician regarding their encounter with the patient to satisfy the face-to-face encounter requirement, much like a non-physician practitioner currently can.
- The certifying physician can then complete the 485 order for home health, including documentation of a face-to-face encounter, based upon the information received from the acute/post-acute facility physician.
- The flow of information should occur in a way that works best for the two health care professionals involved.
CMS announced the new face-to-face flexibility as part of Rule CMS-1353-F.
We've put together a face-to-face quick reference card to help you document the CMS requirements efficiently. You can print it and keep it at your desk, or save it to your mobile device for convenient access.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and may not necessarily represent the views of Amedisys.