ABL Anemia and CV surgery

We have one VERY resistant physician at our facilitiy who also happens to bee our CV surgeon. When queried for ALB anemia, even when Hgb has dropped to 6 post-surgery, he will respond with things like "s/p CV surgery, normal". He has made it clear that he feels like CDI and other hospital-wide monitoring of SOI/ROM is purely about money and he refuses to take any part in it. He is so resistant that I have been basically told not to address the issue but to continue querying as usual. He generally gets queries for anemia, as if patients have other issues, they are usually addressed by our intensivists.
I personally think that be thinks documenting ABL anemia will reflect poorly on his quality data and such that is tracked by companies like health grades. I see this as the only reason he would be so resistant to this documentation. I was talking to my physician liason the other day and mentioned that the Acute Blood Loss Anemia code was tracked at one time, but is no longer tracked (this is my understanding). He said "well, its still tracked". I wanted to make sure I have all the info in case this comes up again.
Am I correct in my assertion that post-op anemia is not tracked? Do you know of documentation of this?

Thanks!

Comments

  • edited May 2016
    It is my understanding that ACBL is not tracked. If it is also coded as a complication, then it is tracked. Does you physician understand that documenting/coding 285.1 is a separate code from the comp code?

    Sharon
  • Yes, this is my understanding.
    I am not sure what he does know. I have been advised not to speak to him directly about this because he has been so resistant (not openly to me, with the exception of removing/not aswering queries from charts, but more to administration). I am only assuming that he thinks that charting ABL anemia will affect him negatively. I know know why he would go out of his way not to include that in the chart otherwise.

    Thanks for the input!
  • edited May 2016
    I spent time with our CV surgeon regarding documentation. I ran a report on his expired patients and checked the SOI/ROM. We reviewed the report. He really wanted to know about Healthgrades and how to impact his profile and how to document conditions and avoid complication codes when not applicable.
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