Can non-physician practitioner/physician extenders sit in on the IRF Team Conferences?
If the non-physician practitioner wants to sit in on the care conference, that is OK, but the physician must participate in the Team Conference. A very important component of the medical necessity criteria for IRF admission is that the patient must require the 24 hour availability of a physician with special training or experience in the field of medical rehab. Thus, at a minimum, the multidisciplinary team that meets to assess and evaluate the patient” condition should consist of a physician, a rehab nurse and one therapist. This section of the regulations should not be interpreted in any way to mean that a non-physician practitioner could substitute for the physician, especially since the physician is required to be actively involved in the patient’s care.
If the non-physician practitioner wants to sit in on the care conference, that is OK, but the physician must participate in the Team Conference. A very important component of the medical necessity criteria for IRF admission is that the patient must require the 24 hour availability of a physician with special training or experience in the field of medical rehab. Thus, at a minimum, the multidisciplinary team that meets to assess and evaluate the patient” condition should consist of a physician, a rehab nurse and one therapist. This section of the regulations should not be interpreted in any way to mean that a non-physician practitioner could substitute for the physician, especially since the physician is required to be actively involved in the patient’s care. Pub 100-2, Chapter 1, Section 110.4.
