H151 – Minor assessment
OHIP Obstetrics Code — CONSULTATIONS AND VISITS · Schedule of Benefits
A minor assessment rendered by an Emergency Department Physician to an unscheduled patient in a hospital emergency department or Hospital Urgent Care Clinic. This service is specifically for visits on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays during daytime and evening hours (08:00h to 24:00h). A minor assessment, as defined on page , includes one or both of the following: a brief history and examination of the affected part or region or related to a mental or emotional disorder; or brief advice or information regarding health maintenance, diagnosis, treatment and/or prognosis. As per the Schedule of Benefits, this service includes all applicable common elements (as described in -) and specific elements of assessments (as described in ). This service must be claimed by the physician on duty in the emergency department, regardless of their specialty, for services rendered during a designated shift or by an on-call physician where the service does not qualify for a special visit premium ().
When to Use
- Use H151 for a brief, focused assessment of a minor injury or illness occurring on a weekend or holiday between 08:00 and 24:00.
- Select H151 when the clinical encounter does not meet the complexity threshold for an intermediate assessment (H152) but requires a documented brief history and physical exam.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing H151 on a weekday; this code is strictly restricted to Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.
- Attempting to add a special visit premium to H151; all 'H' prefix emergency codes are explicitly ineligible for any special visit premiums.
- Claiming H151 when the service provided qualifies as an intermediate assessment (H152), which results in under-billing for the complexity of the care provided.
Billing Tips
- Ensure the patient is unscheduled and the service is rendered within an Emergency Department or Hospital Urgent Care Clinic to satisfy the 'H' code criteria.
- If the patient requires more than a brief assessment, bill H152 instead of H151 to accurately reflect the higher level of service provided during premium hours.
Effective: April 1, 2026
A. Consultations and Visits
CONSULTATIONS AND VISITS
Assessment
Assessments, Hospital and Institutional Consultations and Assessments
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