CPT codes are used to capture what type of time spent between a patient and the care provider?

CPT codes, or Current Procedural Terminology codes, are primarily used to report and document the services provided during patient care, and one of the key aspects they reflect is the type of time involved in these services. Face-to-face time specifically denotes the direct interaction between the patient and the healthcare provider. This includes the time spent during examinations, consultations, and any discussions relevant to the patient's care within the confines of an office or clinical setting.

Why is face-to-face time important in the context of CPT coding? Accurate documentation of this time is crucial because it often determines the level of service coding, which directly impacts billing and reimbursement. When face-to-face time is accurately captured, it ensures that the provider is compensated appropriately for their services, reflecting both the quality and quantity of care delivered.

Other types of time, such as consultation time, follow-up time, and review time, may not always refer to direct patient-provider interactions. For example, consultation time can also encompass discussions that don't happen directly with the patient, follow-up time may involve additional tasks outside of an in-person meeting, and review time could relate to reviewing patient records rather than engaging directly with the patient. Thus, while they are relevant in the broader context of patient care, they do