hx codes
The coder who captured the code for epitaxis to your current visit for a totally different reason was absolutely wrong because "epitaxis" would not be a past Hx code, however, if you had any past medical histories indicated in the V-code section of ICD-9 for example, "Personal Hx of alcoholism(V11.3) followed by "Past Hx of chemical dependency"(305.90),and "Personal Hx of manic-depressive psychosis"(V11.1), and you just happen to come to your physician's office complaining of severe pain, your primary physician would most likely think twice before giving you any narcotic pain relievers and send you to a pain management specialist based on your past medical history. For those reasons, past medical history is a very important component to help the physician with his medical decision making for your current illness. Another example, if a patient has a past medical Hx of seizures, with that knowledge, the physician would know what type of medication that he should not prescribe for that patient that may trigger siezures.