Hallucinations

ICD10 Diagnosis
Dx:	Hallucinations
ICD10 code:	R44.3
Pre-ICD10 counterpart:	Dementia, Psychosis, Confusion/Delirium, Schizophrenia, Other Psychological Disturbance
Charlson/ALERT Scale:	none
APACHE Como Component:	none
APACHE Acute Component:	none
Start Date:
Stop Date:
Data Dependencies(Reports/Indicators/Data Elements):	No results
External ICD10 Documentation	ICD-10 CM Wikipedia ICD-10 Wikipedia WHO ICD10 documentation ICD10data.com

This diagnosis is a part of ICD10 collection.

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  • 2019-01-01
  • 2999-12-31
  • R44.3

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Additional Info

Symptom/Sign/Test Result not needed when cause known

• This code identifies a symptom or a sign, or an abnormal test result, not a disorder.
  • So, you should code the cause of the symptom/sign/abnormal test, if known -- and if you do so, then also coding and combining the symptom/sign/abnormal test result to that cause is generally optional, but is guided by the following guidelines.
• Here are guidelines for whether or not to ALSO code the symptom/sign/abnormal test when you DO code the underlying cause:
  • If it is a subjective symptom (e.g. pain) then coding it is optional
  • When it is a physical exam finding (e.g. abdominal tenderness) then coding it is generally optional
    • An exception is when the symptom/sign/abnormal testis so severe that all by itself it mandates hospitalization and/or a procedure -- a good example is a patient who has Wegener's granulomatosis is admitted due with Hemoptysis. Since hemoptysis is a physical finding that fits this description of "severe" it should be coded, and combined with Wegener's.
  • When it is an abnormal laboratory finding which in and of itself has relevance (e.g. hyperkalemia, hypoalbuminemia) then USUALLY code it
    • You don't need to code the abnormal lab finding is when it is actually a major component of the underlying cause --- example is when a person presents with an acute MI, there is no need to code the abnormal troponin as Abnormal blood chemistry NOS
  • The trickiest of these guidelines is for abnormal radiologic tests
    • When the abnormal test is fully explained by the underlying diagnosis/diagnoses (e.g. pneumonia as cause of abnormal chest imaging, or a skull fracture with an intracranial hemorrhage both identified by an abnormal head CT) then coding the abnormal imaging result is optional
    • But remember there are some rare things for which the abnormal imaging result IS part of coding the entity, for example we code retroperitoneal hemorrhage by the combination of Hemorrhage, NOS and Retroperitoneal area, diagnostic imaging, abnormal
• Sometimes there may be multiple symptom/sign/test result that might or might NOT be related to each other by virtue of having the same underlying cause. Since in the absence of KNOWING that cause, such assumptions may well be incorrect, do NOT combine them together if you are not certain they actually have the same underlying cause.

See ICD10 Guideline for drugs and substances for information on ICD10 codes that might explain this symptom.

Repeated events

If this happens repeatedly during the same ward or unit stay, only code it the first time it happens, regardless of whether it is an Admit Diagnosis or Acquired Diagnosis, rather than each time it happens. See ICD10 codes only coded the first time for other diagnoses coded this way.

Example:

A person has a self-limited episode of A-fib. It goes away and then recurs. Only code the first one. A person has a self-limited episode of A-fib. It goes away but then he has an episode of V-tach. As this is a different diagnosis, both of these should be listed, but only code once each. Patient comes in with hypokalemia. It’s treated and remits, but the next day it recurs. Only code the first time.

Altered mental status coding guideline

Coding altered mental status in ICD10 can be complex, see ICD10 Guideline for coding altered mental status for more info.

Alternate ICD10s to consider coding instead or in addition

• Psychosis/psychotic disorder, NOS, acute or chronic
• Delusional disorder
• Schizophrenia

Candidate Combined ICD10 codes

• Psychosis/psychotic disorder, NOS, acute or chronic

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