Physicians Practice Journal
If you’ve ever read a patient the Riot Act, use time to document that visit.
Most physicians know they can use time to select a code for an office visit or consult, but many forget when, why, and how to do it.
According to the CPT book and documentation guidelines, if you spend more than half the visit discussing the patient’s illness and treatment, use time to select the code rather than the level of the history, exam, and medical decision-making you perform.