AAPC Chapter 16: Anesthesia Glossary Flashcards
Codes for procedures commonly carried out in addition to the primary procedure performed; may not be reported alone.
Add-on codes.
Codes identified with a + sign.
Add-on codes.
A health professional who has completed an accredited anesthesia assistant training program.
Anesthesiologist assistant.
A physician licensed to practice medicine who has completed an accredited anesthesiology program.
Anesthesiologist.
Begins when the anesthesiologist/ anesthesia provider begins to prepare the patient for the induction of anesthesia and ends when the anesthesiologist/or anesthesia provider is no longer in personal attendance.
Anesthesia time.
A catheter inserted into an artery that is used most commonly to measure real-time blood pressure and to obtain samples for arterial blood gas.
Arterial line.
A value assigned to anesthesia codes for anesthetic management of surgery and diagnostic tests that vary depending on difficulty of the surgery or diagnostic tests and management of anesthesia.
Base Unit Value.
A technique to temporarily take over heart and lung function.
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
A catheter placed in a large vein (e.g., internal jugular, subclavian, femoral) with the catheter tip in, or close to, the right atrium of the heart.
Central venous catheter.
A registered nurse who has completed an accredited nurse anesthetist training program.
Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA).
A technique used in general anesthesia to reduce blood pressure in order to control bleeding during surgery.
Controlled/deliberate hypotension
A unit multiplier used to convert anesthesia units into a dollar amount for anesthesia services.
Conversion factor.
Which entities review conversion factors?
CMS, also may be negotiated with insurance companies.
How often does CMS review conversion factors?
Annually.
Direct measurement of blood pressure in the right atrium and vena cava.
CVP (central venous pressure).
Reflects the amount of blood returning to the heart and ability of the heart to pump blood from the right side of the heart into the pulmonary system.
CVP (central venous pressure).
A situation where a delay in treatment would lead to significant increase in the threat to life or body part.
Emergency.
A fee based on the physician fee schedule.
Flat fee.
Payments of these fees are made under the Relative Value Unit (RVU) rather than by conversion factor, and time is not a consideration for payment.
Flat fee.
A drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients cannot be aroused.
General anesthesia.
Implies a temperature of 20 degrees centigrade or less.
Hypothermic circulatory arrest.
Occurs when an anesthesiologist is involved in 2, 3, or 4 concurrent anesthesia procedures, or a single anesthesia procedure with a qualified anesthetist.
Medical direction.
Occurs when an anesthesiologist is involved in five or more concurrent anesthesia procedures or fails to meet required medical direction criteria.
Medical supervision.
A technique that does not require deep sedation or general anesthesia; the anesthesia provider must be prepared to convert to general anesthesia, if necessary.
Monitored anesthesia care (MAC).
A flow directed catheter inserted into the pulmonary artery that is used to measure pressures and flows within the cardiovascular system.
Pulmonary artery catheter.
Example of a pulmonary artery catheter.
Swan-Ganz.
Used to report the physical status assigned to each patient undergoing anesthesia.
Physical status modifier.
Patients are ranked by their individual health status; the anesthesia provider must assign the physical status.
Physical status modifier.
Term used when a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine is used to function as the heart and lungs during heart surgery.
Pump oxygenator.
Circumstances significantly affecting the character of an anesthesia service.
Qualifying circumstances.
These add-on procedures may be reported only with anesthesia codes; more than one may be reported, if applicable.
Qualifying circumstances.
May not be reported separately when a code descriptor already indicates the circumstance.
Qualifying circumstances.
Do not use these modifiers for Medicare Beneficiaries.
Qualifying circumstances.
Loss of sensation in a region of the body, produced by application of an anesthetic agent.
Regional anesthesia.
A unit measure, used to assign a value to services, that is determined by assigning weight to factors such as physician work, practice expense and malpractice expense.
Relative value Unit.
A physician who has completed a medical degree and has entered a residency program specifically for anesthesiology training.
Anesthesia resident.
A registered nurse who is training in an accredited nurse anesthetist program.
SRNA (student registered nurse anesthetist).
Anesthesia provider avoids an area where the surgeon is working (usually on procedures around the head, neck or shoulder girdle).
Surgical field avoidance.
What must a medical coder be sure of when assigning a code for anesthesia requiring field avoidance?
A minimum of base 5.
Deliberate reduction of total body temperature, which reduces general tissue metabolism.
Total body hypothermia.
Generally, temperature is reduced 20 to 30 percent below normal temperature.
Total body hypothermia.
