tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2004 Issue 3

3 Strategies Guide Your 'Late Effects' Coding

  Don't confuse late effects with complications: The two are not the same. "A complication describes a problem arising from a condition that still exits. A late effect on the other hand is caused by a condition no longer in its acute phase " Bucknam says. Certain conditions such as mal- or nonunion of fractures and scarring are inherent late effects regardless of when they occur. 2. Assign Late Effects as Secondary Diagnoses  When reporting late effects of an acute injury code the residual problem/condition as the primary diagnosis and record the appropriate late effects code as a...

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