FYI
This may not apply to the situations you all are talking about, but I
thought it might help.  At the UCHSC as with many other Universities I
assume, there are lots of clinical trials going on that are usually
funded by drug companies or grants.  The amount of histopathology work
required to support these studies has increased dramatically.  They want
extra copies of the patients slides to send around to others involved in
these trials.  Our department just issued a policy regarding
reimbursement for the expenses involved for these services.  We still
are not charging patients but we are charging studies.  Somebody has to
pay for these sevices and it is not right for histopathology to absorb
all the expenses.
Patsy

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Department of Anatomic Pathology

Slides Reviewed by Anatomic Pathology for Clinical Trials


Policy Effective Date: April 2002


To:     All UCHSC Study Coordinators

From:   Don P. Highfield, Administrator, Department of Pathology
        Kenneth R. Shroyer MD PhD, Vice Chair, Anatomic Pathology


The below policy outlines the requirements and costs for the department
of pathology to release slides for clinical trials:

        *       A representative from the clinical trial will call the
surgical pathology office at 303-315-7183 or the cytology office at
303-315-7334 respectively to request patient slides and report be sent
for a clinical trial.
        *       Before patient slides and report are sent, the surgical
pathology/cytology office will require a copy of the study protocol, the

signed patient consent form, the COMIRB approval, and a completed
Pathology Service Request Form (which may be obtained from the surgical
pathology/cytology office).
        *       The cost for slides and report(s) to be sent for a
clinical trial is $25.00 per case.  This includes office staff
coordinating and filing the required documentation, pulling the slides
for each case, printing report(s), special packaging of the slides,
pathologist time and effort reviewing the case to determine the
appropriate slides to be released.
        *       The pathologist will be notified that a case will need
to be reviewed for a clinical trial.
        *       The surgical pathology or cytology office staff will
pull the slides and print reports on requested case(s) for the
pathologist to pick the appropriate slides/blocks/blanks to be released
for the study.
        *       Additional histology services, such as additional slides

cut or special stains, will be added onto the case review charge of
$25.00.  Histology charges will be determined per the published
pathology research fee schedule.
        *       All pathology services will be billed via IN to the
grant number and speed type.




Vinnie Della Speranza wrote:

>  Joyce,our compliance department here advised me that we would be
> found non-compliant if we attempted to charge the patient for this
> service as they view the expense as bundled with our drg reimbursement
> rate.I have no idea if this position is sound but like you, I felt
> that we should be able to recover our expense for this service. Bottom
> line, I was told that we can't do that. I was also told that we cannot
> charge for duplicate slides to be prepared as the bx is the patient's
> who is therefore entitled to these slides. If you want to keep
> duplicates in your file, you do so at your expense.  We do require the
> patient or the patient's consulting doc to pay the fedex charges in
> the scenario where the "slide review" is prompted by the patient or
> patient's doc.   Vinnie Della Speranza
> Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
> Medical University of South Carolina
> 165 Ashley Avenue  Suite 309
> Charleston, SC 29425
> Ph: 843-792-6353
> fax: 843-792-8974
>
> >>> "Weems, Joyce"  07/01/02 04:24PM >>>
> We've probably addressed this before, but I'm having so many extended
> senior
> moments lately, I don't recall.
>
> Do any of you charge a handling fee for sending "Slide Review" cases
> out at
> patient, clinician request - (not a consult)? We are having so many
> requests
> lately, my pathologist thought it might be feasible to charge. Before
> I say
> there is not a CPT code to cover this, I wanted to ask the community -
> O ye
> wise ones...
>
> Thanks much, j:>)
>
> Joyce Weems
> Pathology Manager
> Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
> 404-851-7376
> 404-851-7831 - fax
>
>