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R637
R637 – Debridement and excision, per % of total body treated other than hand, head or neck
OHIP Radiology Code — INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM SURGICAL PROCEDURES · Schedule of Benefits
Debridement and excision of burned tissue, rendered outside of an Operating Room. The fee is applicable per percentage of total body surface area treated, for areas other than the hand, head, or neck. This service is distinct from debridement performed in an Operating Room, such as R691, R692, or R693.
When to Use
- Use R637 for bedside debridement of burn wounds on the trunk or extremities performed in an emergency department or clinic setting.
- Use R637 when the procedure is performed outside of an Operating Room, distinguishing it from R691, R692, or R693 which are specifically for OR-based debridement.
- Use R637 to bill per percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) treated for non-facial and non-hand burn debridement.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing R637 for debridement performed in the Operating Room, which will result in a rejection or audit recovery as these require R691-R693.
- Failing to specify the exact percentage of TBSA treated in the claim submission, as the code is unit-based per percentage.
- Attempting to bill R637 for debridement of burns on the head, neck, or hands, which are excluded from this specific code.
Billing Tips
- Ensure the medical record explicitly documents the TBSA percentage treated to support the number of units billed for R637.
- Apply relevant age-based premiums (e.g., under 16 years) or after-hours premiums (E409/E410) to the R637 base fee when the criteria for non-elective surgical procedures are met.
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