- The German Society of Nephrology (DGfN) clarifies in its new coding guide that CytoSorb therapy is an independent therapeutic procedure and should be methodologically distinguished from other extracorporeal procedures (e.g., hemofiltration, hemodialysis, ECMO, heart-lung machine).
- This can be read in the recently published Coding Guide 2021, which can be downloaded free of charge from the DGfN website (German only): https://dgfn.eu/leistungsabrechnung.html
- The German Society for Medical Controlling (DGfM) also published a statement last week, based on a request from a hospital, that the removal of hydrophobic, low- and medium-molecular-weight substances (note: this is the generic term for CytoSorb therapy) is a treatment method independent of renal replacement procedures or circulatory support procedures with extracorporeal circulation, since the materials used, indications and treatment goals differ (German only).
- Both clear positionings of these relevant professional societies will help us as well as the clinics that CytoSorb is further established as an independent therapy method and and regularly paid by the health insurance companies.
