What is the action of altering notes in a patient's record to justify medical necessity considered as?

Altering notes in a patient's record to justify medical necessity is considered fraud because it involves deliberately misrepresenting information for personal gain or to manipulate the healthcare system. This action compromises the integrity of medical records and can lead to inappropriate billing practices, as it may result in services being billed that were either not rendered or not necessary. Fraud not only violates ethical standards in healthcare but can also lead to serious legal consequences for both the healthcare provider and the organization involved.

In the context of this question, negligence refers to a failure to take proper care in doing something, and while it can have serious consequences, it doesn't specifically relate to the intentional alteration of records. Auditing involves reviewing and examining records for accuracy and compliance, which is a legitimate and important process in healthcare; it doesn’t involve fraudulent activities. Unbundling refers to the practice of separating services that are typically billed together, which is unrelated to the unethical practice of altering records. Thus, the act of changing notes to reflect unjustified medical necessity is accurately classified as fraud.