re: DVT Documentation and info on Coding Clinic and ICD-10

My understanding is that radiology reports can be used for fracture specificity only.

I was just at the AHIMA ICD-10 training and specifically asked if coders would be able to take anatomic specificity from radiology reports for code assignment since this is a major focus of the thousands of ICD-10 codesm especially for vascular disorders (stroke, DVT, PE, etc.) The answer I received from the AHIMA instructors (AHIMA employees) was "no" - and that since there will be no coding clinics for the first year (or more) of ICD-10, this is a question very much on the minds of coders.

Everyone agreed that this would increase the number of queries and the burden on providers to respond, not to mention the number of incomplete records awaiting query responses after discharge.

For those who didn't know -- the many years of Coding Clinics will NOT be transferred or cross-walked to ICD-10. So there will be no previous advice to use as a precedent.

Comments

  • edited May 2016
    Just a question on this. If the provider refers to the ultrasound in their note, would you be able to use it then?

    Robert

    Robert S. Hodges, BSN, MSN, RN, CCDS
    Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
    Aleda E. Lutz VAMC
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  • I think it would depend on "how" he/she referred to the test.
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