sequencing question

What is the proper sequencing for this scenerio?

Patient comes in with large pleural effusion secondary to decompensated CHF, acute on chronic, diastolic. Also has hypertensive heart disease and CKD 3. Patient underwent thoracentesis with 1600 cc fluid removed.


Charlene


Comments

  • edited May 2016
    Per coding clinic



    Pleural effusion is not usually reported in cases of CHF/left heart
    failure, as, it is commonly seen in the disease. However, there are
    instances when pleural effusion code 511.9 may be assigned. For example;
    After confirmation of the pleural effusion, a therapeutic thoracentesis
    or chest tube is necessary to drain the excess fluid.

    Sequenced:



    404.91- hypertensive heart and kidney dz

    585.3 ckd 3

    428.33 chf, acute on chronic diastolic

    511.9 pleural effusion



    Thank you,
    Tiffany

    Better Documentation equals better patient care.




  • edited May 2016
    Tiffany,

    So the hypertensive heart & kidney disease would be PDx?


    Charlene






  • edited May 2016
    Yes. Since the effusion is usually part of CHF and although the tapped
    the pt, the CHF is the underlying cause. Per Coding Clinic:



    Heart Failure

    Effective October 1, 2002, significant changes have been made in the
    reporting of hypertensive heart disease and heart failure. Specifically,
    the fifth digits for categories 402, Hypertensive heart disease, and
    404, Hypertensive heart and renal disease, have been modified from
    congestive heart failure to heart failure. Instructional notes have also
    been added to these categories to use an additional code to report the
    specific type of heart failure.



    Effective October 1, 2002, category 428, Heart failure, has also been
    modified to provide greater specificity regarding the type of heart
    failure (congestive, systolic, diastolic, and combined diastolic and
    systolic). In addition, these subcategories have been further divided to
    identify whether the heart failure is unspecified, acute, chronic, or
    acute on chronic. Acute on chronic refers to the patient having chronic
    heart failure and now has an acute flare-up on top of it. These changes
    will allow improved tracking of patients by the more specific
    distinctions of this disease. Determination of whether the heart failure
    is acute, chronic, or, acute on chronic, is based on physician
    documentation.



    Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump sufficient blood
    throughout the body. The term congestive heart failure is often
    mistakenly used interchangeably with heart failure. Congestion,
    pulmonary or systemic fluid build-up, is one feature of heart failure,
    but it does not occur in all patients. Common symptoms of heart failure
    are edema, fatigue, and dyspnea at rest or during exercise.



    There are two main categories of heart failure: systolic and diastolic.
    Within each category, the symptoms may differ from patient to patient.
    In 1994, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in
    association with the American Heart Association and the American College
    of Cardiology, developed guidelines defining systolic and diastolic
    dysfunction. Differentiating between systolic and diastolic dysfunction
    is essential because their long-term treatments are different.



    Systolic heart failure occurs when the ability of the heart to contract
    decreases. The heart is unable to pump out adequate amounts of blood
    during contraction (systole). Blood coming from the lungs into the heart
    may back up and cause fluid leakage into the lungs causing pulmonary
    congestion. Treatment consists of ACE inhibitors, digoxin, diuretics and
    beta blockers.



    Diastolic heart failure occurs when the heart has a problem relaxing
    between contractions (diastole) to allow enough blood to enter the
    ventricles. The heart cannot fill with sufficient blood because the
    heart muscle is stiff and unable to relax. This may lead to fluid
    accumulation, especially in the legs, ankles and feet. Some patients may
    also have lung congestion. The treatment depends on the underlying
    cause. Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are often used when
    diastolic dysfunction is due to ischemia or hypertension.



    If a patient has hypertensive heart disease with congestive heart
    failure due to hypertension, it is appropriate to assign a code for the
    hypertensive heart disease (402.01, 40211, or 402.91) along with the
    code for congestive heart failure (428.0). Additional codes should be
    added if the heart failure is known to be systolic (428.20-428.23),
    diastolic (428.30-428.33) or combined systolic and diastolic
    (428.40-428.43).





    Thank you,
    Tiffany

    Better Documentation equals better patient care.




  • edited May 2016
    Thank-you for the information.

    My poor brain is having a hard time seeing why hyptertensive heart & kidney disease would be PDx instead of the CHF. Seems to me that the pleural effusion/CHF is what caused the admission.


    Charlene






  • edited May 2016
    True but since the pt has hypertensive chf, and ICD 9 provides a combo
    code for hypertensive chf the htn ckd & chf is the winner.

    I understand how you feel. Every time I think I understand ICD9, they
    throw me a loop!



    Thank you,
    Tiffany

    Better Documentation equals better patient care.




  • edited May 2016
    I agree with you generally, but do have difficulty in one aspect.

    If the physician did not provide the clinical cause and effect relationship IN the documentation, then my understanding was you could not assume the linkage of htn and HF to be able to use the combo code.

    Don


  • edited May 2016
    Agree, the MD has to give the relationship first. In reading the
    original question, it seemed to me that the relationship was made. I
    could have read it wrong....Early morning!

    Thank you,
    Tiffany
    Better Documentation equals better patient care.



  • edited May 2016
    Tiffany, you're correct on the original question, my apologies -- not enough coffee this morning on my end.
    Hope my point will still be helpful to the discussion as other's may also miss that!

    Don


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