Prolonged evaluation and management service before and/or after direct patient care, each additional 15 minutes

Prolonged Evaluation and Management (E/M) services are essential in critical care situations, requiring precise coding to capture the extended nature of patient encounters. CPT code 99360 designates prolonged service in the critical care setting, requiring direct patient contact beyond the usual service time. This code is applied when healthcare providers engage in prolonged face-to-face time with critically ill or injured patients in the critical care setting, extending beyond the typical duration of E/M services.

CPT code:

99360

Category:

Category I

Section:

Explore Evaluation and Management CPT Codes

Specialty:

Prolonged Services

Type:

Stand by service

In the landscape of critical care services, 99360 holds significance, representing prolonged service in the critical care setting. Healthcare providers utilize this code when engaging in prolonged face-to-face time with critically ill or injured patients, extending beyond the usual duration of E/M services. Its application ensures accurate documentation of efforts in providing extended care during critical care encounters.

Under what category does Prolonged evaluation and management service before and/or after direct patient care, each additional 15 minutes fall?

Category I

What is the billing unit for Prolonged evaluation and management service before and/or after direct patient care, each additional 15 minutes?

Per Encounter

Modifiers

Clinical use

Prolonged evaluation and management service before and/or after direct patient care, each additional 1 hour.

Documentation

Document the total duration of prolonged evaluation and management service before or after direct patient care in the office or outpatient setting, specifying the start and end times, and describe in detail the activities or discussions that required the prolonged service, emphasizing medical necessity.