Wiki would you code "longstanding smoking history" as past or current smoking?

[The Angel Of the South]

It could mean the pt currently smokes or that he quit in the past. Doesn't say any more about the smoking. So I can't tell whether to code z87.891 or z72.0. Is there a default? I suspect I should code z72.0.

If this weren't practicode, I would want to query the provider.

 

[Mrsrpc]

Hmmm, I'm no expert, but you are correct. I'd query the provider. I have seen Longstanding history to mean current (and for a long time before now, obviously). Usually when I see a PMH with smoking cessation, it indicated how long they smoked, and when they quit. I know that's not particularly helpful... Just giving you another clinician's perspective. I'm sorry. Please let us know what you come up with .

 

[csperoni]

In that context, from my experience, most clinicians would use this to mean - the patient has been (and is still currently) smoking. It is a situation where "history" could mean multiple things out of context. In the real world, if the context is not there I would query my clinician.
I have recently started working with a new physician who uses "history" all the time to mean - the patient has an existing known current problem. Like "history of fibroids" means - the patient had fibroids in the past and still has them.

 

[The Angel Of the South]

In that context, from my experience, most clinicians would use this to mean - the patient has been (and is still currently) smoking. It is a situation where "history" could mean multiple things out of context. In the real world, if the context is not there I would query my clinician.
I have recently started working with a new physician who uses "history" all the time to mean - the patient has an existing known current problem. Like "history of fibroids" means - the patient had fibroids in the past and still has them.

I hope you can convince him/her to change his/her habit.