Ask Dr. Z

Patient has an outpatient scheduled cath. A diagnostic cardiologist performs the cath, and per results patient needs an intervention. Patient remains on the table, and an interventional cardiologist is called into the room to perform the intervention. The cardiologists are in the same practice, but one is diagnostic and the other interventional. Can the interventional cardiologist charge a Consult/E&M visit on the same day because he was called in to perform the intervention? I have a physician who is insisting he can charge a consult or E&M visit when he is called in to perform the intervention on a scheduled outpatient cath. He does create a visit note.