What is ICD-10 coding?
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The ICD-10-CM (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification) is a medical coding system used for classifying and coding diagnoses and procedures in healthcare settings. It is the US-specific adaptation of the international ICD-10 coding system, which is maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO).
ICD-10-CM is designed to provide a standardized way of documenting and categorizing various diseases, injuries, and conditions. It contains alphanumeric codes that represent specific medical diagnoses and descriptions. The system helps healthcare providers, coders, insurance companies, and policymakers to communicate and process medical information more efficiently.
ICD-10-CM codes are used for medical billing, reimbursement, clinical documentation, public health surveillance, and research purposes. These codes are essential for ensuring accurate and consistent representation of patients' health conditions in healthcare records and claim forms.
ICD-10-CM codes consist of three to seven characters, where each character has a specific meaning:
1. Character 1: Represents the category of the disease or condition.
2. Characters 2 and 3: Further classify the disease category into subcategories.
3. Characters 4 to 6: Provide additional details about the diagnosis.
4. Character 7: Extension for laterality, episode of care, or other important clinical details.
For example, the ICD-10-CM code for Type 2 diabetes mellitus is E11.9, where "E" represents the endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases category, "11" specifies diabetes mellitus, and ".9" indicates that it is unspecified.
It's important to note that ICD-10-CM codes are updated periodically to accommodate changes in medical knowledge and practices. The transition to ICD-10-CM in the United States occurred on October 1, 2015, replacing the previous ICD-9-CM system.
