Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert
Determine The Cause Before Coding Weakness
Question: How should I report the following scenario: The patient was hospitalized for a urinary tract infection (UTI). It is now resolved, but the illness has left him weak and unable to ambulate as he did prior to his illness. We are providing physical therapy three times a week. Should I list V57.1 for physical therapy, 799.3 for debility and 719.7 for difficulty walking? -- Kentucky Subscriber Answer: If you're admitting the patient for therapy and the acute condition is resolved, then V57.1 (Other physical therapy) is appropriate for the primary diagnosis. Debility means the patient is frail and weak and is usually coded after the conditions causing the patient's debility. Difficulty walking is reserved for those gait issues resulting from a chronic condition of the bone or joint. If the patient was hospitalized for a urinary tract infection and has so much weakness, it may have been septicemia. At times during a UTI, the patient becomes dehydrated and that is what causes the continuing problem with weakness. Even if those conditions are resolved now, the patient can be left with deconditioning. Deconditioning is coded 728.87 (Muscle weakness [generalized]). Before choosing vague diagnoses such as deconditioning for the patient's care, ensure that there is not another more definitive diagnosis.
Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert
- ICD-9 Update:
Prepare Now For Major Changes To MRSA Coding
Soon you'll be coding for colonization and MSSA, too. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is [...] - Know The Difference Between Staph aureus Susceptible, Staph aureus Resistant And Staph aureus Colonization
Before you can select the right code, you'll need to understand the difference between MRSA, [...] - CLIP AND Save:
See How Staph Aureus Coding Will Change Come October
Look for more steps with MRSA. Once the new ICD-9 codes go into effect Oct. [...] - Coding How-To:
Get The Latest On M0246 Q&A
M0246 isn't just for case mix, CMS says. Question: Should we complete M0246 onlywhen a [...] - You Be The Coder:
Know Your Digits For MI
Question: Our new patient had a non-ST-elevation (NSTEMI) myocardial infarction two weeks ago. We are [...] - Inservice Education:
Here's How Your Agency Can Thrive In 2008 And Beyond
Plan now for immediate staff training. Get the latest information on how to survive the [...] - List Serve Discussion:
Proximate Cause Or Underlying Diagnosis?
Question: Medicare asks us to code the proximate diagnosis first in situations such as when [...] - Reader Questions:
Cover Chest Tube With Aftercare
Question: Our patient was hospitalized for a spontaneous pneumothorax and had a chest tube placed. [...] - Reader Questions:
Know Reason For Surgery
Question: We have a new patient with prostate cancer with metastasis to the hip bone. [...] - Reader Questions:
Determine The Cause Before Coding Weakness
Question: How should I report the following scenario: The patient was hospitalized for a urinary [...] - Reader Questions:
Don't Jump To Conclusions With Diabetes
Question: One of my colleagues says that any diabetic who has either hyperlipidemia or hypertension [...] - Reader Questions:
Look To Guidelines Before Assigning 948
Question: On page 45 of your June 2008 issue, you state "If a patient has [...] - Reader Questions:
Understand The Rule Of Nines
Category 948 is useful any time there are third degree burns or extensive second degree [...]
