HCPro, JustCoding Inpatient - 2019 Issue 46 (November)
Q&A: Differentiating between bacteremia, sepsis in ICD-10-CM
November 26th, 2019
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Article Overview
This article addresses a common clinical documentation issue in inpatient coding: how to distinguish bacteremia from sepsis when the terms are used inconsistently. It is aimed at coders, CDI professionals, and physician advisors who need to understand the documentation and query implications tied to ICD-10-CM guidance, physician education, and code assignment considerations.
Why This Topic Matters
Accurate differentiation between these diagnoses affects diagnosis coding, query practice, and the medical necessity picture for inpatient care. The article highlights why documentation clarity matters and why education is often needed before coding and CDI teams can consistently assign codes.
What You Will Learn
- Why bacteremia and sepsis are often confused in documentation
- Why physician education is important for documentation improvement
- How ICD-10-CM guidance affects diagnosis assignment in this scenario
- What a clinical documentation query may need to address
- Why limited documentation should be reviewed carefully before final code assignment
Who Should Read This
- Inpatient coders
- Clinical documentation integrity (CDI) specialists
- Physicians
- Physician advisors
- Coding educators
Codes Discussed
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