Jackie Brown; CPC; CANPC asked:
I am studying for the CEMC. Just when I think I am understanding and do the practice exams my mind freezes & I see all of the resources I have studied at once. Then I am already overwhelmed. Example: I know first of all the 3 key components History/ Exam & MDM. But when I did the first practice test my mind went straight to remembering the are 3 key components; but I am only on the History portion & remember theres 3; components; to it. Dx; ROS & PFSH. Then I feel like I have got 6 components to hurry through. I think just knowing it is a test my mind starts to freak out & then it is timed really gets me. I feellike just closing the books & saying forget it. it is hopeless for me. Any suggestions for my thought process during the exam? I hope I am making sense.
Answer:
Meta A wrote: Jackie; you are right about the 3 key components of History; Exam and MDM. Each of them has to be scored" to determine the overall level of the E/M encounter. Just work through one at a time with your audit sheet. Take History; work through the elements of HPI; ROS and PFSH to determine the score. Work through the Body Parts or Organ Systems to determine the Exam score. For the MDM; bring together the #of diagnoses/Mgt; Data and Risk to find the score. Once each component is scored; bring the 3 together to determine overall level of the encounter. Most of us score the MDM first and then build on from there. Hope that helps. do not lose hope yet. Hang in there and work through the practice exams as many times as you need to. Good luck!
Followup Question: Thank you so much. On the established patients; when you only need 2 of three can I skip the H&P & just go by the exam & M&D? Or is that not a good ideal? Or is it that I need to score all 3 key elements everytime & the 2 of 3 just means in the 3 H&P elements?
Followup answer- Alicia wrote:Yes you can. I like doing History first because that is usually short and sweet.
Followup answer #2- Meta A wrote: In a 2 out of 3 situation for the overall level of an E/M note; you score all 3; History; Exam and MDM; and eliminate the lowest score. Thats how you determine if it is a 99212-99215; 99231-99233; etc; level of service for established patients. Was that the question?
I am studying for the CEMC. Just when I think I am understanding and do the practice exams my mind freezes & I see all of the resources I have studied at once. Then I am already overwhelmed. Example: I know first of all the 3 key components History/ Exam & MDM. But when I did the first practice test my mind went straight to remembering the are 3 key components; but I am only on the History portion & remember theres 3; components; to it. Dx; ROS & PFSH. Then I feel like I have got 6 components to hurry through. I think just knowing it is a test my mind starts to freak out & then it is timed really gets me. I feellike just closing the books & saying forget it. it is hopeless for me. Any suggestions for my thought process during the exam? I hope I am making sense.
Answer:
Meta A wrote: Jackie; you are right about the 3 key components of History; Exam and MDM. Each of them has to be scored" to determine the overall level of the E/M encounter. Just work through one at a time with your audit sheet. Take History; work through the elements of HPI; ROS and PFSH to determine the score. Work through the Body Parts or Organ Systems to determine the Exam score. For the MDM; bring together the #of diagnoses/Mgt; Data and Risk to find the score. Once each component is scored; bring the 3 together to determine overall level of the encounter. Most of us score the MDM first and then build on from there. Hope that helps. do not lose hope yet. Hang in there and work through the practice exams as many times as you need to. Good luck!
Followup Question: Thank you so much. On the established patients; when you only need 2 of three can I skip the H&P & just go by the exam & M&D? Or is that not a good ideal? Or is it that I need to score all 3 key elements everytime & the 2 of 3 just means in the 3 H&P elements?
Followup answer- Alicia wrote:Yes you can. I like doing History first because that is usually short and sweet.
Followup answer #2- Meta A wrote: In a 2 out of 3 situation for the overall level of an E/M note; you score all 3; History; Exam and MDM; and eliminate the lowest score. Thats how you determine if it is a 99212-99215; 99231-99233; etc; level of service for established patients. Was that the question?
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