How many types of history are recognized in E/M coding?

In Evaluation and Management (E/M) coding, there are four types of history recognized. These are:

1. Problem-Focused History: This type includes a brief history related to the presenting problem(s). It typically involves asking about the patient's chief complaint and a limited review of the past medical history relevant to that problem.

2. Expanded Problem-Focused History: An expanded problem-focused history takes the problem-focused history and adds a more detailed review of the present illness, contributing factors, and an expanded review of systems relevant to the condition being evaluated.

3. Detailed History: This type is more comprehensive and includes a thorough review of the present illness, a detailed past medical history, and an extensive review of systems that may impact the patient's health status.

4. Comprehensive History: The comprehensive history provides an across-the-board look at the patient’s overall health, entailing a complete review of the present illness, a complete past medical and surgical history, family history, and a thorough review of systems.

Understanding these types of history is essential for coders because they directly impact the levels of service that can be billed. Each type carries specific criteria that need to be met in order for a claim to be substantiated.