Pulmonology Coding Alert

Question: I have an op report that says the patient has bronchitis and URI. Can I submit these two diagnoses together?

Montana Subscriber

Answer: Yes, you may code both conditions based on the physician documentation. A URI is an upper respiratory infection and bronchitis falls under lower respiratory diseases. However, additional information may be needed from your physician to accurately pinpoint the diagnoses in your report.

An upper respiratory tract infection is a generalized diagnosis. You can easily go more specific with codes such as J00 (Acute nasopharyngitis [common cold]) or J06.9 (Acute upper respiratory infection, unspecified), depending on the symptoms and signs listed in the documentation. Check the codes in the J41.- (Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis) for a case that presents chronic bronchitis or J20.- (Acute bronchitis) if the case presents acute bronchitis stemming from other infections.