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Q:
Is a pacemaker placement considered a major enough surgery to use the “aftercare following surgery on the circulatory system” code?
A:
It would generally be acceptable to use the aftercare code for pacemaker placement as an additional active diagnosis, as long as care is being provided related to the surgery; However, pacemaker placement would likely not typically be considered major enough to meet the RAI definition of major surgery for coding in section J of the MDS or for being the primary reason for skilled care. Of course, the clinical circumstances of the resident must be considered.
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Blog by Shelly Maffia, MSN, MBA, RN, LNHA, QCP, CHC, Director of Regulatory Services, Proactive Medical Review
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