ICD-10 Coding: Don't Automatically Assign Admitting Diagnosis on Discharge Claims

Article Overview

This article explains how hospital diagnoses can change during an inpatient stay and why coding staff need current physician documentation rather than relying only on admitting or discharge information. It is aimed at physicians, coders, and billing teams who handle hospital visit claims and want to keep diagnosis reporting consistent with the latest charted information. The guidance focuses on documentation access, communication during the stay, and the difference between the diagnosis that prompted admission and the diagnosis being treated at a later encounter.