Fife CE, Gelly H, Walker D, Eckert KA, et al.
Undersea & hyperbaric medicine : journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc. Date of publication 2016 Jan 1;volume 43(6):633-639.
1. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2016 Sept-Oct;43(6):633-639.
Rapid analysis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy registry data for reimbursement
purposes: Technical communication.
Fife CE(1), Gelly H(2), Walker D(1), Eckert KA(3).
Author information:
(1)U.S. Wound Registry, The Woodlands, Texas U.S.
(2)HyperbaRxs, Marietta, Georgia U.S.
(3)Strategic Solutions, Inc., Cody, Wyoming U.S.
OBJECTIVE: To explain how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Registry (HBOTR) data of the
US Wound Registry (USWR) helped establish a fair analysis of the physician work
of hyperbaric chamber supervision for reimbursement purposes.
METHODS: We queried HBOTR data from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2013, on
patient comorbidities and medications as well as the number of hyperbaric oxygen
(HBO₂) therapy treatments supervised per physician per day from all hyperbaric
facilities participating in the USWR that had been using the electronic medical
record (EHR) for more than six months and had passed data completeness checks.
RESULTS: Among 11,240 patients at the 87 facilities included, the mean number of
comorbidities and medications was 10 and 12, respectively. The mean number of
HBO₂ treatments supervised per physician per day was 3.7 at monoplace facilities
and 5.4 at multiplace facilities. Following analysis of these data by the RUC,
the reimbursement rate of chamber supervision was decreased to $112.06.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing HBO₂ therapy generally suffer from multiple,
serious comorbidities and require multiple medications, which increase the risk
of HBO₂ and necessitate the presence of a properly trained hyperbaric physician.
The lack of engagement by hyperbaric physicians in registry reporting may result
in lack of adequate data being available to counter future challenges to
reimbursement.
PMID: 28768390 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: The authors of this paper declare no conflicts
of interest exist with this submission.
