Our nursing managers want to add the administration site to our transfusion tags.  Essentially a place for them to document the IV site (central artery, central vein, peripheral artery and peripheral vein).  From what I understand, it is a requirement for reimbursement with moving to ICD-10 coding.  I feel that this is a nursing task  and should be documented in the computer chart and we shouldn't have to monitor it in the blood bank.  If the nurse doesn't mark this on the tag then I would have to send a letter for follow up to the nurse manager, etc. Am I wrong?  Does the new ICD-10 documentation have to be on the transfusion tag per any regulations?

I stopped using transfusion tags years ago.  Nursing documents in the computer.  I don't know the answer to your question about the ICD-10 (but I'll look it up).  I know that Medicare usually will balk at paying for therapeutic phlebotomies unless you document the arm used for the procedure.

I talked with our HIM Director who does not think this is required - she is investigating further.

What do you use instead of transfusion tags?

I talked with our HIM Director who does not think this is required - she is investigating further.

This is her f/u

Yes, it does.  The coder must have documentation of one of the following:  central artery, peripheral artery, central vein, peripheral vein.  Without this, the code can’t be assigned and this is the biggest challenge we have for transfusions going into ICD-10.  I suggest you add that to your transfusion record, because typically the nurse who starts the transfusion is the best source of where the needle went in.

Edited September 11, 20159 yr by David Saikin

What do you use instead of transfusion tags?

I use a compatibility label - documents Pt ID and type, component ID and type, compatibility (if applicable).  Transfusion documentation is in the HIS.

I did end up adding it to the tag.  If the coder doesn't have the ICD-10 code we risk not being reimbursed which would definitely not be good!  Thanks for the advise!

We had to modify the slips that we issue with the blood product to include a spot to record the ICD 10 infusion site info. The forms are reviewed by biller to document the infusion route. Bottom line is: If I want to get paid, I had to do the change. We made labels to put on the slips with the required info in check boxes until we could get the new forms through the required approval process.

J

On ‎9‎/‎16‎/‎2015 at 5:19 AM, NewBBSup said:

I did end up adding it to the tag.  If the coder doesn't have the ICD-10 code we risk not being reimbursed which would definitely not be good!  Thanks for the advise!

We did the same!

It has been added to our transfusion records.

I assume this is mainly an issue for OP transfusions?  We get paid under DRGs for inpatients so does this matter for them?