Wiki Is this a "new diagnosis"?

[CatchTheWind]

If a patient has a history of, say, BCC on the arm, and now presents with a new BCC on the leg, is this considered a new diagnosis, since it is (a) a new lesion and (b) a different ICD-9 code?

BUT... what if the patient has a history of AKs and now presents with a new AK? It is a new lesion, but the same ICD-9 code. So is this a "new diagnosis"?

 

[lmartien]

New Diagnosis

Good afternoon,

in your first scenario, I would code it as a new diagnosis since the lesion is a new one and it located at a different site.

In your second scenario, my answer woudl be the same, as it's again a new lesion and at a new or different site.

I hope this helps,

LInda