Imaging industry supports AMA call to reduce documentation for E&M procedures
More than 100 U.S. healthcare organizations and associations have signed a letter to CMS calling for reduced paperwork requirements in filing evaluation and management (E&M) procedure codes, according to an Aug. 27 release from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).
The proposal, led by the American Medical Association (AMA), aims to help physicians spend more time with their patients and streamline documentation requirements, reducing “note bloat” and improving efficiency.
“Excessive E&M documentation requirements do not just take time away from patient care; they also make it more difficult to locate medical information in patients’ records that is necessary to provide high quality care,” according to the letter.
Cosigners of the letter regarding CMS’s “Patients Over Paperwork” initiative include the SNMMI, the American College of Radiology, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Neuroimaging, the American Society of Neuroradiology.
“We also urge the administration to set aside its office visit and multiple service proposals, fully embrace the assistance of the workgroup and work together with the medical community on a mutually agreeable policy that will achieve our shared goal of simplifying E&M documentation burdens while mitigating any unintended consequences,” according to the letter.
A recent graduate from Dominican University (IL) with a bachelor’s in journalism, Melissa joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering all aspects of health imaging. She’s a fan of singing and playing guitar, elephants, a good cup of tea, and her golden retriever Cooper.