ICD 10 Coding Alert

Note this scenario where documenting military deployment is useful.

Your knowledge of coding encompasses Chapter 21 (Z00-Z99) of the ICD-10-CM, which describes factors influencing health status and contact with health services. These codes can be used as a principal diagnosis code in the inpatient setting or a secondary code, depending on the circumstances of the encounter, the ICD-10-CM book notes, adding that a procedure code needs to be included because Z codes aren’t procedure codes.

Can you correctly apply these codes to pediatric scenarios? Try your knowledge here.

Question 1: Your provider counsels a 6-year-old male patient and his mother about adverse changes in the boy’s behavior due to the absence of his father. Elsewhere in the patient’s chart, you see that a social worker has documented that the boy’s father has deployed on military duty. This information is not in your provider’s notes. Can you assign a Z code to this encounter — and, if so, which one?

Question 2: Your pediatrician cares for a newborn female at a local hospital from the day of birth to the day of discharge from the same hospital three days later. The newborn was born vaginally, and there were no complications at birth or subsequently. What Z code should you use, and why should you not use Z00.110 (Health examination for newborn under 8 days old) to document an encounter like this?

Question 3: A mother brings her 4-year-old to your pediatrician, saying the child has been acting like he is ill, but she can find nothing wrong. Your pediatrician examines the child and agrees with the mother; the pediatrician records no diagnosis, signs, or symptoms. What two possible Z codes could you use in this scenario, and which would be the most appropriate to use?

Check out the answers here.