# Atelectasis - Outpatient coding



## chaimz (Feb 17, 2017)

Hello everyone,

One of my doctors (pulmonologist) notes that Atelectasis as a finding.  I'm pretty sure this can only be diagnosed in the hospital setting. Am I right?

Thank you,

Chaim Zeitz, CPC


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## micobo69 (Feb 24, 2017)

*Atelectasis*

Definition. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Atelectasis (at-uh-LEK-tuh-sis) — a complete or partial collapse of a lung or lobe of a lung — develops when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated. It's a breathing (respiratory) complication after surgery.


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## chaimz (Feb 28, 2017)

micobo69 said:


> Definition. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Atelectasis (at-uh-LEK-tuh-sis) — a complete or partial collapse of a lung or lobe of a lung — develops when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated. It's a breathing (respiratory) complication after surgery.



That doesn't answer my question. Can it only be coded in the inpatient setting, or can it also be coded in the outpatient setting?


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## mitchellde (Feb 28, 2017)

It can be a finding in any setting.  I am wonder why you are questioning the diagnosis, is there something else in the documentation that makes you think this is inaccurate?


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## chaimz (Mar 2, 2017)

mitchellde said:


> It can be a finding in any setting.  I am wonder why you are questioning the diagnosis, is there something else in the documentation that makes you think this is inaccurate?



My boss told me Coding Clinic says it can be only be coded in the inpatient setting. Since our company will not buy us coding clinic, I just wanted a second opinion, because the doctors keep documenting Atelectasis.

Same with DVT. They keep documenting Acute DVT, or just DVT. I work in the outpatient setting. In the case of DVT, I always down code it to Z86.718, unless I am able to query them and they tell me it hasn't resolved yet, and it is being treated with an anticoagulant to help break it up further after fibrinolytic therapy (if it did not completely break it up).


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