Q:We recently had a case where the patient was admitted for “sepsis secondary to a urinary infection (UTI) with chronic Foley.” I am wondering if there is a AHA Coding Clinic for ICD-9-CM tosupport coding this case to 996.64, Infection and...Read More »
Q:The majority of the admissions I am reviewing this week are for an elderly population. It seems that they all have the same admitting diagnoses: Failure to thrive (FTT), urinary tract infection (UTI), fever, dehydration, altered mental status (AMS). I am confused...Read More »
It’s been more than two weeks since ICD-10 became the official code set and the sky hasn’t fallen. Despite claims that from the AMA and other physician groups that ICD-10 was a “looming disaster” that...Read More »
In 2004, the Coordination and Maintenance Committee created a definition of sepsis that became the basis of ICD-9-CM’s Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting and was used in a number of AHA’s Coding Clinics. That definition included...Read More »
Q: Our physicians frequently document ‘meets sepsis criteria.’ Is this a bad habit forming? If the patient is septic, shouldn’t the physician state sepsis due to, or just sepsis? I worry that if the patient has a few vital signs off the physicians are documenting sepsis...Read More »
ICD-10-CM/PCS incorporates laterality, acuity, anatomical specificity, and a slew of additional combination and complication codes. Who will submit queries when this information is missing in a medical record? Will coders or CDI specialists take on this role? Perhaps it might be a combination of...Read More »
