[Histonet] Patient slide send-out

[barnhart717 <@t> comcast.net]

When we receive a request to send blocks or slides to another facility for any reason we send the patients insurance information to the facility.  In the letter we send we include the reason why the slides/blocks are being sent and to charge the patient's insurance not us.  If they send us a bill we fight it.  In the documentation that we keep I have different category for why the consult was done.  Pathologist: is when our pathologist send out for a second opinion and we pay the cost.  Physician, Patient or Treatment: These we will not pay for.  The other facility eats the cost or charges the patient's insurance.  We use priority mail because it usually arrives in about 3 days, we can track the shipment and it is a minimal cost.  

Becky Barnhart
rbarnhart <@t> summithealth.org 

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Zajic Kari" <Kari.Zajic <@t> HCAhealthcare.com> 

> Richard, you are not alone! We have also seen an increase in patient and 
> physician requests for "send-outs". I am not sure of charging, but I have made a 
> "send-out" policy for our department that all requests be put in writing 
> (scripts for physicians)and faxed,inform the patient/office that it will at 
> least be 48 hours before it can be sent out, they must provide a shipping 
> service account (FEDEX, UPS) or physically pick up the slides. We have also been 
> being charged for these consults by the other facility so we also inform them 
> that if the insurance cannot be charged, they are responsible for the bill. It 
> seems to work but we do run into some problems now and again. If they cannot 
> provide an overnight shipping service, we will USPS mail them certified but that 
> seems to take too long for their liking (here it's around a week). 
> Not having enough staff to handle the sendouts is always a problem, hence the 48 
> hours..helps slightly. 
> 
> Kari :) 
> 
> Kari Marie Zajic HTL,MLT 
> Histology Supervisor 
> Palms West Hospital 
> Pathology Department 
> 13001 State Road Eighty 
> Loxahatchee, Florida 33470 
> phone: (561)798-6036 
> telefax: (561)753-4298 
> voicemail: (561)753-4299 
> pager: (561)610-4949 
> email: Kari.Zajic <@t> HCAHealthcare.com 
> 
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> -----Original Message----- 
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On Behalf Of Richard 
> Cartun 
> Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 2:49 PM 
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
> Subject: [Histonet] Patient slide send-out 
> 
> 
> Our Anatomic Pathology Office is overwhelmed with requests from patients 
> asking for their pathology slides to be sent to another medical 
> institution (for second opinion, additional surgery or therapy, etc.). 
> Is it legal to charge patients for this service? We don't have the 
> personnel to handle these requests in a timely fashion and we can no 
> longer afford to "eat" the shipping costs. Thank you. 
> 
> Richard 
> 
> Richard W. Cartun, Ph.D. 
> Director, Immunopathology & Histology 
> Assistant Director, Anatomic Pathology 
> Hartford Hospital 
> 80 Seymour Street 
> Hartford, CT 06102 
> (860) 545-1596 
> (860) 545-0174 Fax 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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