HCPro, JustCoding Inpatient - 2017 Issue 32 (August)
New ICD-10-CM codes bring changes to documentation, coding
August 8th, 2017
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Article Overview
This article explains selected FY 2018 ICD-10-CM changes and the documentation and coding issues they affect. It is aimed at coders, CDI professionals, and clinicians who support diagnostic documentation. The discussion covers pulmonary hypertension categories, diabetes with ketoacidosis, COPD with lower respiratory infection, bowel obstruction, non-pressure chronic ulcers, neurogenic claudication, diffuse sclerosing glomerulonephritis, acute respiratory distress, and Glasgow Coma Scale updates, along with related guidance themes such as specificity, sequencing, and documentation clarity.
Why This Topic Matters
The article helps readers understand which FY 2018 ICD-10-CM updates require more precise provider documentation and which diagnoses may affect code assignment and record specificity.
Article Sections
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New pulmonary hypertension codes
Discusses new ICD-10-CM pulmonary hypertension categories and the documentation focus associated with their introduction. It also references related classification concepts and code set updates tied to this topic.
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Type 2 diabetes mellitus with ketoacidosis
Covers the addition of new ICD-10-CM diabetes-related codes for patients presenting with ketoacidosis. The section addresses the documentation and coding relevance of this update.
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COPD with lower respiratory infection
Summarizes a change affecting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection and related sequencing guidance. It highlights the coding impact when pneumonia is also present.
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Bowel obstruction
Reviews updated ICD-10-CM expectations for reporting bowel obstruction and related postoperative considerations. It also notes the relationship between obstruction and ileus documentation.
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Greater specificity of non-pressure chronic ulcers
Describes increased granularity for chronic non-pressure ulcer reporting. The section focuses on the broader severity categories made available for documentation and coding.
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Neurogenic claudication with spinal stenosis
Notes the return of a diagnosis concept that had been removed in ICD-10-CM. The section addresses its relevance to spinal stenosis reporting.
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Diffuse sclerosing glomerulonephritis
Explains updated guidance for reporting diffuse sclerosing glomerulonephritis within ICD-10-CM. It emphasizes how this diagnosis is classified for coding purposes.
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Acute respiratory distress
Introduces a code for acute respiratory distress and distinguishes it from other respiratory conditions. The section focuses on terminology and documentation differentiation.
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Glasgow Coma Scale
Covers pediatric indicator changes and other updates related to the Glasgow Coma Scale in ICD-10-CM. The section also notes concerns about code structure and documentation alignment.
What You Will Learn
- Which FY 2018 ICD-10-CM topics received the most significant documentation-related changes
- How new pulmonary hypertension categories are organized at a high level
- What documentation themes are emphasized for diabetes, COPD, bowel obstruction, and chronic ulcers
- Which additional diagnosis areas were updated in ICD-10-CM for reporting specificity
- What broad issues were raised regarding Glasgow Coma Scale updates
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Clinical documentation integrity professionals
- Physicians and other providers
- Coding educators
- Health information management staff
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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