AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 2006 Issue 4; VOLUMES 1 AND 2 NEW/REVISED CODES
SIRS, Sepsis, Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock
Effective October 1, 2006, further revisions have been made to subcategory 995.9, Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in order to facilitate the correct use of the severe sepsis codes so that accurate and complete data on this serious condition can be collected. The note to “code first underlying systemic infection†no longer applies to the entire subcategory 995.9. Now it only applies to the codes that relate to an infectious process, specifically codes 995.91 and 995.92. Please note that the sequencing of the systemic infection before subcategory 995.9 has...
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Article Overview
This article explains update changes to ICD-9-CM coding guidance for systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. It is relevant to coders, CDI staff, compliance teams, and clinical documentation specialists who need to understand how the affected diagnosis categories were revised and how related instructional notes and references were updated. The article also points readers to the Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting for additional context.
Why This Topic Matters
Changes in diagnosis coding guidance can affect how serious infection-related conditions are classified and reported. Understanding the revisions helps support more consistent coded data and documentation review.
Article Sections
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Overview of the ICD-9-CM revisions
Introduces the update and explains the general purpose of the changes affecting the SIRS, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock diagnosis categories.
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Updates to infectious-process references
Summarizes the revised instructional notes and title changes associated with infection-related portions of the classification.
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Updates to noninfectious-process references
Summarizes the revised instructional notes and title changes associated with noninfectious-process portions of the classification.
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Related guidance and guideline reference
Notes the additional reference to the Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting and the broader context for the update.
What You Will Learn
- What categories of diagnosis guidance were revised
- How the article distinguishes infectious and noninfectious SIRS-related references
- Which documentation notes were updated or removed
- What broader guidance source is cited for additional context
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Clinical documentation improvement staff
- Compliance teams
- Revenue cycle professionals
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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