AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS - 2018 Issue 2; Ask the Editor
Kennedy Terminal Ulcer
The patient is a 79-year-old male under hospice care for advanced metastatic carcinoma, who suddenly developed a full-thickness pressure ulcer. The ulcer did not respond to treatment, and the patient expired several weeks later. In his final diagnostic statement, the provider listed “Kennedy ulcer.” Studies have shown that a Kennedy ulcer develops rapidly during the end of life phase in terminally ill patients. What is the appropriate ICD-10-CM code assignment for a Kennedy (terminal) ulcer? ...
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Article Overview
This article explains the clinical context of a Kennedy terminal ulcer and discusses its relevance to ICD-10-CM pressure ulcer coding. It is aimed at coders, CDI professionals, hospice teams, and other documentation specialists who need to understand how end-of-life skin breakdown is described in records. The article focuses on the general coding category involved, the clinical setting in which the term appears, and the documentation considerations surrounding terminal ulcers.
Why This Topic Matters
Kennedy terminal ulcers can appear in hospice and other end-of-life records, and the way they are documented affects how the condition is interpreted in coding and quality reporting workflows.
What You Will Learn
- The clinical context in which Kennedy terminal ulcers are discussed.
- How the topic relates broadly to ICD-10-CM pressure ulcer coding.
- Why end-of-life documentation can be important in this scenario.
- The relevance of hospice and terminal illness settings to the discussion.
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Clinical documentation specialists
- Hospice staff
- Revenue cycle professionals
Code Ranges Discussed
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