Template:ICD10 Guideline Como vs Admit

This template is used in Comorbid Diagnosis and Admit Diagnosis to give consistent instructions when to use either or neither.

To use:

{{ICD10 Guideline Como vs Admit}}

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Como Admit Acquired Primary Limits - this is part of that discussion - if we limit which admits will count as comos we need to review

• SMW

• Cargo

• Categories

When to use Comorbid vs Admit Diagnosis or neither

When not to code a dx at all

• Dx was present in the past but that problem is resolved AND does not fit into one of the Category: Past medical history codes
  • To be clear on this -- do NOT code past problems that are fully resolved unless they are one of the Category: Past medical history codes

Example:

Patient had the left lung removed 7 years ago. Code Past history, removal of all or part of lung Patient has hypertension for which she takes medications and it is well controlled, but not related to the reasons for admission. Code this, because even if not part of the reason for the current admission, the hypertension IS relevant to this person's chronic medical situation and thus SHOULD be coded, as a comorbid. Patient had ARDS (noncardiogenic pulmonary edema) a few years ago, and while ARDS is only an acute problem and thus is no longer active, his lungs never fully recovered and he has Respiratory failure (insufficiency), chronic which should be coded as a comorbid. Chronic and ongoing old conditions should be coded -- as a comorbid if not part of the reason for this admission.

When to code an Admit Diagnosis

• Dx was present prior to physical arrival in their bed on unit/ward

AND

• Dx is relevant to this admission in that it is either:
  • (a) an acute or exacerbated condition (as opposed to a chronic, stable condition -- e.g. stable diabetes), OR
  • (b) it is a condition not directly related to the reason(s) for admission, but its treatment is being actively managed -- and by actively we mean that during this admission changes are made to the management.
• Examples:

Example:

Patient with TB has been treated for the past 5 (of his 9 expected) months admitted now for acute MI. Scenario#1:No changes made in his TB treatment ---> so NOT an admit dx. Scenario#2:Changes are made to his TB treatment during this admission ---> so IS an admit dx too

When to code a Comorbid Diagnosis

• EITHER:
  • Dx is chronic and at its baseline situation, and was present prior to admission
  • Dx is in the past and is resolved and is included in one of the: Category: Past medical history codes
  • As of June 25, 2020, the rules were revised for coding as comorbid conditions those diagnosed during the current hospitalization (either at admission or thereafter) but which virtually certainly were present pre-admission.
    • In this situation, code it as a comorbid diagnosis if it is a chronic, NONINFECTIOUS condition -- e.g. a cancer, collagen-vascular disease (such as Systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE, lupus)), COPD
    • But do NOT code it as comorbid if it is a chronic INFECTIOUS condition -- such as Tuberculosis or AIDS (disease due to HIV)
    • Note that this rule does not impact on coding as a comorbid an infection which is still present but WAS known pre-admission --- e.g. an osteomyelitis being treated at home with iv antibiotics.

Some diagnoses can/should be coded as BOTH admit and comorbid

• example: Patient who has been, and still is, being treated for active pulmonary TB as an outpatient, and is admitted for an acute MI. Here since on the current admission the TB is still being actively treated, it qualifies as an admit diagnosis, as above. But because it has been present from long before this admission, it also qualifies as an "active" comorbidity.
• example: Patient has a past history of CHF and thus it should be coded as a comorbid. And if the CHF is worse at admission and it is part of the reason for admission, then CHF should also be an admit code too.

Recurrent conditions

• Do not code a recurrent condition that is NOT currently present -- if currently active, include as Admit Diagnosis, otherwise don't code it

Example:

Recurrent pneumonia -- in between the infections, there IS NO pneumonia

• Do code conditions that by nature have intermittent rather than continuous symptoms, but where the underlying condition doesn't go away.

Example:

Asthma, without acute exacerbation -- this 'is a chronic disease whose nature is intermittent symptoms, but in between those symptoms the person still has asthma.

Past medical history

Category:Past medical history contains codes that should only be captured as Comorbid Diagnosis that represent previous procedures or medical situations that can't be captured in another way. Their names usually follow the pattern "Past history of X" or "Artifical opening, has one".

Controlling Dx Type for ICD10 codes

This wiki page talks about which ICD10 codes are allowed to be Comorbid vs. Acute vs. Acquired diagnosis type. See Controlling Dx Type for ICD10 codes for a discussion about cross-checks for these.