Purpose:

• To review the process and procedure to successfully manage a Personal Injury case.

AUTO ACCIDENTS- PI & PILGAME ON!!!!Auto Accidents are a different breed than traditional patients. The dynamic that you are always working with is a battle between the following:

1.The Law, Lawyers, and Insurance Companies
2.Patient Care
It is extremely important to make sure ALL PI (Personal Injury) paperwork is filled out perfectly in order to make sure your patient care holds up in a court of law. Anyone who has been practicing for a while understands that they are not exactly the same.

DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT! DOCUMENT!In order to properly manage a PI (Personal Injury) or PI-L (Personal Injury Liability) case, your staff and Doctors need to be on board with the exact protocol to handling them. The following is the detailed list that the Alpha Spine Center uses in order to properly manage a PI and PI-L case.



MAKE SURE YOU TAKE X-RAYS OF:

• ​SKULL
• SPINE
• ANY PLACE OF PAIN

        
TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FOLLOWING:

• DAMAGED VEHICLE
• BRUISING/ BLEEDING
•  ANY PLACE OF PAIN
•  

Protocol: All PI or PI-L Patients even if existing have a NEW file created for them.
1. New Patient (NP) fills out paperwork

• • The Main Intake forms are the same as regular patient.
  • Added Form: Accident and Injury Form
  • Added Form (PI-L): Lean on Case for Payment

2. NP Consultation – make sure you PUT THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT.
3. Exam – Make sure you complete ALL orthopedics
4. X-ray – Any place bruised, hurting, or damaged. Take Flexion/Extensions of the Cervical Region and lumbars if necessary. Obliques if there is radiculopathy.
 Coding for Auto Accidents: (840 series codes)

1. Stay away from 839.xx codes
2. Use the 84x.xx codes to alert the insurance company that the patient had an injury. Ex. 847.0 (Cervical), 847.2 (Lumbar), & 847.1 (Thoracic)
Know When to MRI

1. Head Trauma
2. Heavy Bruising in Chest/ Abdomen
3. Clear Fluid Coming out Ears or Nose (Cerebral Spinal Fluid)
4. Pupils dilated differently

Know When to Refer To ER

1. Broken Bones
2. Clear Fluid Coming out Ears or Nose (Cerebral Spinal Fluid)
3. Fractures on X-rays

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