A new standardized nomenclature in Otorhinolaryngology: Criteria and quantitative and qualitative evaluation indicators of medical procedures

Abstract

Purpose: At the request of the Organización Médica Colegial, we have elaborated a new nomenclature of medical and surgical procedures in Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (ENT-HNS) based on the International Classification of Diseases ICD-9-MC. We have defined new quantitative and qualitative criteria and indicators that may allow scale and remuneration to be determined in private medical practice.

Methods: Obsolete processes were eliminated from the current list of nomenclature, new ones were added or updated, procedures from other specialties that typically belong to ENT-HNS were imported, descriptions were modified accordingly, and others were transferred from one group to another for reasons of surgical complexity. In addition, it was requested that four quantitative criteria and indicators should be assigned for each procedure: unit cost per group, professional training and complexity, professional responsibility, potential complications, and health value, assigning a final value as a product of the sum of each of the indicators.

Results: The new scale presents a total of 395 procedures, compared to 150 in the previous list, an increase of 163%. Surgical procedures increased from 113 to 313 (177%). By subspecialty, Laryngology (213%) has the greatest number of new procedures followed by Rhinology (141%) and Otology (82%). Twenty of 150 procedures were found to be outdated and were therefore removed from the list. Eighty-seven per cent of the procedures remained on the list, 40% as they were and 47% modified, respectively, and, in all cases retaining their original Organización Médica Colegial code.

Conclusions: The new ENT-HNS nomenclature proposed by the SEORL-CCC updates and improves the previous outdated scale, adapting the current procedures to the ICD-9-CM and incorporating the new techniques developed. The updated scale establishes new evaluation criteria with quantitative and qualitative indicators to optimize the calculation of the value of a medical or surgical procedure that, eventually, will allow an assessment of its monetary value in our specialty.

Keywords: Actos médicos; Cirugía de cabeza y cuello; Criteria; Criterios de baremación; Head & Neck Surgery; Medical acts; Nomenclature; Nomenclátor; Otorhinolaryngology; Otorrinolaringología.