E/M Coding Education: Does ‘No SOB’ Fall Under HPI or ROS?

Question: For a chart with a chief complaint of resolving pneumonia, a note indicates, “No coughing, SOB.” Should I give the pediatrician credit for this ‘no coughing & no shortness of breath’ statement under history of present illness (HPI) or as a review of systems (ROS)? Answer: This is a gray area of E/M coding that [...] Related articles:

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Question: For a chart with a chief complaint of resolving pneumonia, a note indicates, “No coughing, SOB.” Should I give the pediatrician credit for this ‘no coughing & no shortness of breath’ statement under history of present illness (HPI) or as a review of systems (ROS)?

Answer: This is a gray area of E/M coding that you can count under either history type. You could give credit for “no coughing” and “no shortness of breath” (SOB) as associated signs and symptoms under HPI. Some auditors might instead count the notation as a review of the respiratory system under ROS.

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E/M Coding Focus: Geriatric Patients & DementiaDetermine HPI or ROS during assessment for geriatric patients. Your…
Mid-Level E/M Coding BreakdownOur chart shows you how to choose among 99212, 99213 &…
Test Your E/M Coding & Billing Savvy Are you an E/M Emeritus? Take this quiz to…