Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Impact your diagnosis coding with Table 1 rundown.

Hopefully the preceding article helped you learn about many types of Z codes that labs might report. To build on that info, we’ve put together the following table listing many Z codes that your lab might use as a primary diagnosis to justify screening tests, or to describe lab-test findings that will impact future patient care.

*“Ordering dx for screening” refers to principal diagnosis code for a test ordered in the absence of signs or symptoms of disease.

+ List first the condition, if patient has it, or follow-up and personal history code(s) if patient has been treated for it, or Z31.5 (Encounter for genetic counseling) if that’s the reason for the visit.