coma and Cheyne Stokes at end of life

Tara.LebeckTara.Lebeck
in Clinical & Coding
If a provider charts coma and/or Cheyne Stokes and the pt is in the dying process are other CDIs capturing this in coding or not.  We are receiving conflicting feedback on whether or not it can be captured in coding. Thanks for your feedback

Comments

  • cselukecseluke
    We do not code any organ failures that occur after a patient is made comfort care. We do code diagnoses that factor into the medical decision making process to make the patient comfort care, but once the order is written we do not code any more diagnoses.

    Cathy Seluke
  • evanspx@sutterhealth.orgevanspx@sutterhealth.org

    I concur w/ logic stated as per Cathy.   Particularly given many drugs induce coma and treat issues such as 'air hunger.  It is logical, IMO, to code those decisions that enter into the Medical Decision Making Process in order to determine if/when to make pt Comfort Care as this data will then reflect all pertinent conditions.   But, generally, I do not code the active process of dying once the pt is made Comfort Care, such as 'cardiac arrest, Cheyne Stokes, coma, so forth.   Any other counter views?

    Paul Evans

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