ICD-10: Find Your Way Around the ICD-10 Manual With These Quick Tips

Why This Topic Matters

Understanding the organization of the ICD-10-CM manual helps coding staff find the right section faster and adapt to the broader, more detailed structure of the newer classification system. The article is useful for readers preparing to work in ICD-10-CM and wanting a high-level orientation to the manual's layout and terminology.

Article Sections

1. Check Out the Alphabetic Index

   Introduces the Alphabetic Index and its major components within the ICD-10-CM manual. It also compares the level of specificity found in related injury and external-cause indexing concepts.

2. Don’t Miss This Big ICD-10 Alphabetic Index Change

   Describes a major organizational change in how injury and related codes are grouped in ICD-10-CM. The section focuses on the overall shift in structure within the injury chapter.

3. Now Check out the Tabular List and chapters

   Summarizes the tabular list and the general arrangement of ICD-10-CM chapters. It notes broad differences in chapter organization and classification approach compared with ICD-9-CM.

4. How to Decipher Code Categories

   Explains the general hierarchy of categories and subcategories in ICD-10-CM. The section covers code length patterns and the presence of expanded code structures.