Audit cath labs effectively

There's a lot riding on the accuracy of cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab) billing and coding.

"Cardiovascular procedures are some of the highest paid under Medicare, and that automatically makes it an area of focus for compliance," says Leatrice Ford, RN, BSN, CCS, CEO of ConsultCare Partners, LLC, in Louisville, KY. "Compound that with the press related to device recall and the liability associated with patient safety, and you've got more risk than just fraud and abuse."

Too many organizations fail to provide the level of auditing and staff member educational support cardiac cath programs require, Ford says. "Cardiac coding and billing is some of the most complex of all service lines, and many facilities do not devote enough resources to make sure it's done correctly," she adds.