Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: Documentation for an ablation procedure shows a diagnosis of PAT. What does this stand for?

Pennsylvania Subscriber

Answer: With the minimal information given, the abbreviation PAT matches paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, which is coded to 427.0 (Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia). An inclusion note under 427.0 shows "Paroxysmal tachycardia: atrial [PAT]."

Caution: If you aren't sure what an abbreviation stands for, an auditor won't be sure either. That means the auditor could decide documentation doesn't support your code choice. Work with practitioners to be sure documentation stands up to scrutiny.