Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

Question: Our new patient has a diagnosis of pancreatitis. Skilled nursing will administer hyperalimentation using a PICC line. We will also be assessing his nutritional state. Which codes should I report and in which order?

Answer: If pancreatitis is the focus of care, sequence it as primary (577.0, Acute pancreatitis or 577.1, Chronic pancreatitis). The only other code appropriate for your scenario is V58.81 (Fitting and adjustment of vascular catheter).

Pancreatitis is a gastrointestinal case mix diagnosis.