WALANT Patient Satisfaction

Patient Satisfaction: 100 consecutive patients were polled postoperatively 91% found it was less painful or comparable to procedures performed under local anesthesia at the dentist’s office.86% would prefer to be awake for further hand surgery.90% would recommend wide awake surgery to a friend. Study: Teo I, Lam W, Muthayya P,… Continue reading

IOECTR Carrier Negotiation Decision Tree

This one-page graphic illustrates how leverage works using a sample point system. It also illustrates the difference between asking the carrier to cooperate and provide their total costs versus the clinic cost-accounting approach to determining your request amount. These are great for meetings or discussions with a cross-functional team. I… Continue reading

Office Surgery Levels

Level I Office Surgery includes, but is not limited to minor procedures such as excision of skin lesions, moles, warts, cysts, lipomas and repair of lacerations or surgery limited to the skin and subcutaneous tissue performed under topical or local anesthesia not involving drug-induced alteration of consciousness other than minimal… Continue reading

2021 Hand and Wrist Orthopedic Procedures with no SOSD

The attached spreadsheet, a much shortened version of the 2021 Medicare PFSRVU file, includes only 2021 Hand and Wrist Orthopedic Procedures with no SOSD in the following categories: Flexor And Extensor Tendon Repair Tendon Transfer Dupuytren Contracture Release Trigger Finger And Carpal Tunnel Release Surgical Treatment Of Metacarpal And Phalangeal… Continue reading

Reimbursement Guidebook for IOECTR, WALANT and OBS

As promised this is an in-depth look into IOECTR, WALANT, and OBS. It was updated Sept 2, 2021 My goal with this guidebook is to provide information on how to set up and be fairly reimbursed for In-Office Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release (IOECTR). In other words, how to set up… Continue reading

Visio Graphics Summaries and Outlines

One Visio Graphic is a one-page IOECTR Project Overview The other is a one-page graphical representation of the issues. These include OBS, WALANT, SOSD, reimbursement, setup, accreditation and others. Also included is a more-detailed one-page explanation of the issues above.

One-Page Reimbursement Checklist for OBSS / WALANT / IOECTR

Below is a one-page Spreadsheet for establishing and obtaining reasonable reimbursement for an Office-based-surgical suite, WALANT and/or In-Office Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release. Last update: JAN 2022. This checklist is to help surgeons who perform endoscopic carpal tunnel release in the office setting (POS=11 / office) negotiate optimal reimbursement. Related terms… Continue reading

Negotiating a Contract for IOECTR

Leverage: Identify your clinic’s leverage before entering negotiations with a health plan. How many surgeons perform ECTR in your city? Unique Services: Does your practice offer any unique services that will benefit the health plan and its members? Patient Mix: An OBS / WALANT clinic can accept patients not appropriate… Continue reading