Press Release
AMA to Develop Medium Length Descriptors for CPT® 2000
11/02/1999
CHICAGO – To better serve the diverse information needs of the
health care community, the American Medical Association (AMA) will add
new medium length clinical descriptors to the year 2000 version of
Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®). Intelligent Medical Objects, a
medical software development and management consulting firm based in
Northbrook, Illinois, has been chosen by the AMA to provide expert
consulting services to the project.
CPT® is the most widely used coding system for reporting health care
services under government and private insurance programs. It is
designed to communicate clinical information for financial,
administrative and analytical purposes.
The clinical descriptors for each CPT® code define with precision the
services provided to the patient. Because the length of long
descriptors may exceed the capacity of some data and reporting
systems, the AMA also maintains a set of 28 character short
descriptors. Although more compatible with the limitations of some
systems, the short descriptors are not always able to convey the
desired level of clinical information.
To meet end-user needs, the new medium descriptors will take
advantage of increasing computer capacity to provide more informative
clinical detail in condensed descriptors. This enhancement will
improve the transmission of clinical information between physicians
and payors by allowing more effective use of CPT® in health care
software, including payment systems, coding applications, and
electronic medical records.
The new descriptors will be made available in various electronic
media as part of the fall 1999 release of CPT® 2000. To prevent
disruption for existing users, the current short descriptors will be
retained as an option for CPT® users.
The AMA will continue to introduce specific changes in the structure
of CPT® to serve the future coding needs of its users. This work will
culminate with the introduction of the fifth edition of CPT® in 2002.
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For additional information, contact:
Robert J. Mills
AMA Public Information Officer
(312) 464-5970
CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.