O0400B1: Occupational Therapy: Individual Minutes, Step-by-Step

Step-by-Step Coding Guide for Item Set O0400B1: Occupational Therapy: Individual Minutes

1. Review of Medical Records

• Objective: Collect accurate data on the number of minutes the resident received individual occupational therapy.
• Steps:
  1. Access Records: Obtain the resident’s comprehensive medical records, focusing on therapy logs, progress notes, and care plans.
  2. Identify Therapy Sessions: Look for detailed documentation of occupational therapy sessions, including dates, duration, and type of therapy provided.
  3. Verify Individual Therapy: Confirm that the documented minutes pertain specifically to individual therapy sessions, not group or co-treatment sessions.

2. Understanding Definitions

• Individual Occupational Therapy: One-on-one therapy sessions provided by an occupational therapist to a resident.
• Individual Minutes: The actual number of minutes spent in individual therapy sessions, excluding any setup time or time spent on other types of therapy.

3. Coding Instructions

• Steps:
  1. Locate Item Set: Find item set O0400B1 on the MDS form.
  2. Assess Individual Therapy Minutes: Review the documentation to calculate the total minutes of individual occupational therapy provided during the assessment period.
  3. Code the Item:
     • Enter the total number of minutes of individual occupational therapy in the designated field for item set O0400B1.
  4. Complete Entry: Ensure the accuracy of the documented minutes and complete the entry on the MDS form.

4. Coding Tips

• Accurate Time Tracking: Ensure precise documentation of the start and end times of each individual therapy session.
• Consistent Documentation: Maintain consistency in documenting therapy minutes across all relevant records (e.g., therapy logs, progress notes).
• Collaboration: Work closely with occupational therapists to verify the accuracy of recorded therapy minutes.

5. Documentation

• Required:
  • Therapy Logs: Detailed records of individual therapy sessions, including date, duration, and activities performed.
  • Progress Notes: Notes from occupational therapists documenting the resident’s progress and specific therapy minutes.
  • MDS Form: Correctly completed entry for item set O0400B1, reflecting the total minutes of individual occupational therapy.

6. Common Errors to Avoid

• Including Non-Individual Minutes: Do not include minutes from group therapy or co-treatment sessions.
• Inaccurate Calculation: Ensure precise calculation of the total minutes from documented individual therapy sessions.
• Omitting Documentation: Avoid missing or incomplete documentation of therapy sessions, which can lead to inaccurate coding.

7. Practical Application

• Example:
  • Resident Background: Ms. Jane Doe received occupational therapy to improve her fine motor skills and independence in daily activities. Therapy sessions were documented over the assessment period.
  • Review Process: Carefully review Ms. Doe’s therapy logs and progress notes, focusing on individual therapy sessions.
  • Coding Process:
    • Step 1: Locate item set O0400B1 on the MDS form.
    • Step 2: Verify and calculate the total minutes of individual occupational therapy provided.
    • Step 3: Enter the total minutes in the designated field for item set O0400B1.
    • Step 4: Document the process and ensure consistency with therapy logs and progress notes.
  • Illustration:
    • Provide a sample MDS form showing item set O0400B1 with the total minutes of individual therapy entered, accompanied by therapy logs highlighting the documented minutes.

Please note that the information provided in this guide for MDS 3.0 Item set O0400B1 was originally based on the CMS's RAI Version 3.0 Manual, October 2023 edition. Every effort will be made to update it to the most current version. The MDS 3.0 Manual is typically updated every October. If there are no changes to the Item Set, there will be no changes to this guide. This guidance is intended to assist healthcare professionals, particularly new nurses or MDS coordinators, in understanding and applying the correct coding procedures for this specific item within MDS 3.0. 

The guide is not a substitute for professional judgment or the facility’s policies. It is crucial to stay updated with any changes or updates in the MDS 3.0 manual or relevant CMS regulations. The guide does not cover all potential scenarios and should not be used as a sole resource for MDS 3.0 coding. 

Additionally, this guide refrains from handling personal patient data and does not provide medical or legal advice. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective practices.