Does CR 6440 contain information about what constitutes a reportable social worker phone call?
CR 6440 states that social worker phone calls that are “necessary for the palliation and management of the terminal illness and related conditions as described in the patient’s plan of care (such as counseling of speaking with a patient’s family or arranging for a placement) should be reported. Report only social worker phone calls related to providing and or coordinating care to the patient and family, and documented as such in the clinical records.” CMS has also issued clarification about social worker phone calls via CMS FAQ #9970. This FAQ is below. “Report only social worker phone calls related to providing and or coordinating care to the patient and family, and documented as such in the clinical records.” Does this sentence mean that only calls to the patient and family are to be considered for reporting? Because of the nature of a social worker’s job, social workers perform a portion of their work without face-to face contact with either the patient or their family, which is why
