Question 1
Codes for surgical complications should be assigned
◦ as they are discovered
◦ according to the patient's complaints
◦ based on the provider's documentation of the relationship between the condition and the care or procedure
◦ the recovery room nurses' report
Question 2
It is important to identify whether a postsurgical condition is an expected complication or a common occurrence for that particular surgery because
◦ complications are paid at a higher rate
◦ a common occurrence is paid at a higher rate
◦ if it is a complication it will need to be reported to the State Department of Health
◦ if it is a common occurrence, then it is not considered a complication