Conscious Sedation

Conscious sedation, sometimes referred to as “IV” or “procedural” sedation, involves the administration of pharmacological agents to produce a medically controlled state of depressed consciousness that still allows a patient to respond to physical stimulation and verbal commands, and to maintain an unassisted airway.  It is commonly used to alleviate anxiety and/or pain associated with potentially unpleasant procedures. A range of levels of sedation can be achieved depending on the drug that is used. 

Anesthetists* and other qualified physicians may provide this service, however, the type of drugs the practitioner may administer for conscious sedation are dependent on his or her training and credentials.

Billing Notes 

  • It is Manitoba Health’s position that conscious sedation is an integral component of the primary procedure.  Accordingly, where the same physician renders both conscious sedation and the procedure no additional fee is payable for the administration of the medication or the monitoring of the patient. Where, however, the physician performs the venipuncture for the IV, tariff 8957 Intravenous injection, is payable in addition. 
  • Where the physician completing the procedure requires an anesthetist to provided the conscious sedation service the anesthetist may claim for anesthetic services rendered in accordance with the anesthetic procedural schedule.  The physician completing the procedure claims the appropriate procedure tariff. 
  • In an emergent situation, if a physician, who is not eligible to claim as an anesthetist is requested by the physician performing the procedure to provide conscious sedation, he or she may claim on a By Report basis.  In this circumstance, Doctors Manitoba recommends that a fee roughly equivalent to the anesthetic fee be submitted. This is to be calculated as twenty (20) times the current anesthetic unit values ($2.120) for every fifteen (15) minutes or portion thereof.

* “Anesthetist” means a medical practitioner who is enrolled on the Specialist Register of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba and whose registration is so defined or a medical practitioner with privileges to administer anesthesia as determined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (commonly referred to as either a non-specialist anesthetist or general practitioner anesthetist).

Questions?

Braden Kalichuk
bkalichuk@doctorsmanitoba.ca
(204) 985-5848

 

Updated: April 2018