View source for Infections in ICD10

Infections in ICD10 are coded somewhat inconsistently. There are [[#Diagnoses where the pathogen is implied]] and [[#Diagnoses where the pathogen must be coded separately]]. [[#Coding Antibiotic Resistance]] should also be done when there is one. 

=== [[Dx_Date]] infections in [[Acquired Diagnosis / Complication]] ===
*The date we want to use is the date in which the infection first appeared clinically.  This can be a very difficult determination, and may include consideration of:
**Date on which the clinical signs or symptoms first appeared (e.g. fever, or dysuria, etc)
**Date on which the culture was sent --- but this can be misleading because a culture may not be sent until several days after the symptoms appear.
**Thus, as usual, you must use your clinical judgment to decide when the infection first showed up.

=== Untreated positive cultures ===
*Probably the most common of these is urine and sputum.
*How to code these depends on what the clinical team thinks is true:
**If they're not treating because they think it's NOT an infection and instead is colonization, then code it as one or the other of: [[Colonized with organism (not infected)]] and/or something like [[Urine tests, NOS, abnormal]]
**If on the other hand, they just failed (permanently, or temporarily) to treat what became apparent later to be a real infection, then code it as an infection.

=== Coding when main dx may or may not be an infection ===
Our program [[Query check ICD10 Inf Infection req Pathogen must have one|requires infections to have a pathogen]], and [[query Check_Inf_Pathogens_must_have_Infection_requiring_pathogen_or_Potential_Infection|does not allow pathogens for non-infections]]. Many of our "wastebasket" [[NOS]] codes could be used for infections and non-infections. In order to be able to code an infection with one of these, you must also code [[Infectious disease NOS]] and the [[Pathogen]] as [[Combined ICD10 codes]].

=== Coding when the pathogen isn't clear (yet) ===
See [[Lab and culture reports]] for where to find pathogen info. 

If you don't get a presumptive pathogen and it's not a situation which relates to '''[[Infection with implied pathogen]]''', you should then use '''[[Infectious organism, unknown]]'''.''

=== Other related information ===
* [[Abscess coding guideline for ICD10]]
* [[Antibiotic Resistant Organism]] (it's is combined-coded)
* [[Lab and culture reports]]
* [[Template:ICD10 Guideline Iatrogenic]]
* [[Attribution of infections]]

==Cross Checks==
{{Data Integrity Check List|}}

== Related articles ==
{{Related Articles}}

[[Category:Infectious disease| *]]