What is primarily used to identify medical services and procedures provided by healthcare professionals?

CPT codes, or Current Procedural Terminology codes, are specifically designed to catalog and identify medical services and procedures performed by healthcare professionals. They provide a uniform language for describing medical, surgical, and diagnostic services, ensuring that there is a standardized way for providers, payers, and insurers to communicate about the procedures performed. This system helps in billing, coding, and maintaining consistent records in healthcare.

In contrast, NPI numbers are unique identifiers for healthcare providers but do not describe services or procedures. ICD codes are used to classify diagnoses and diseases rather than the services rendered. DRG codes are related to payments for hospital stays based on diagnoses and procedures but do not categorize individual services performed. Thus, CPT codes stand out as the primary tool for identifying specific medical services and procedures.