99288 Direct advanced life support
Also known as: direct ALS, EMS supervision, paramedic direction
Evaluation and management of a patient involving direction, supervision, and interpretation of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel at the request of the communications center physician for advanced life support intervention.
In Plain Language
Emergency medical services coordination; Paramedic direction
Clinical Context
Used when an emergency physician provides direct medical direction to Emergency Medical Services personnel for advanced life support interventions, typically via telephone or radio communication.
RVU Information
CPT 99288 does not have a physician work RVU assigned by CMS. Reimbursement for this code is determined by payer-specific fee schedules.
Billing & Documentation
E&M codes require documentation of medical decision-making (MDM) complexity or total time spent on the encounter. For 2026, time-based coding includes all physician time on the date of the encounter.
How This Code Compares
This code has a work RVU of 0.00, meaning it does not have a physician work component assigned by CMS. In the Evaluation & Management category, 8% of codes share this characteristic.
Specialties
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CPT code 99288?
CPT 99288 (Direct advanced life support) is a Evaluation & Management code. Evaluation and management of a patient involving direction, supervision, and interpretation of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel at the request of the communications center physician for advanced life support intervention.
Who uses CPT code 99288?
CPT 99288 is used by Emergency Medicine. Used when an emergency physician provides direct medical direction to Emergency Medical Services personnel for advanced life support interventions, typically via telephone or radio communication.
When is CPT 99288 used?
Used when an emergency physician provides direct medical direction to Emergency Medical Services personnel for advanced life support interventions, typically via telephone or radio communication.
Track This Code in RVU Edge
Log procedures, calculate wRVUs, and benchmark against MGMA data — all in one app.
CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. Data sourced from CMS Physician Fee Schedule RVU26A. Descriptions, synonyms, and clinical context are original content by RVU Edge.