12 ICD-10 Codes For Christmas
If you work in healthcare IT, you're likely all too familiar with the plethora of codes introduced by ICD-10. And, most of the time, we're betting that you find deaing with them to be no laughing matter. Today, we want to change all that. Here are 12 holiday-inspired codes that might have you laughing until the New Year.
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"Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" and "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" aren't merely holiday season song titles anymore. Now, thanks to the healthcare industry's October transition to the ICD-10 medical coding system, the song titles closely approximate diagnostic code descriptions.
If you work in healthcare IT, you're likely all too familiar with the plethora of codes introduced by ICD-10. And, most of the time, we're betting that you find deaing with them to be no laughing matter, especialy when it comes to updating your systems to accommodate the new requirements. Today, we want to change all that.
In the spirit of the holidays, PatientKeeper, a provider of healthcare applications for physicians, has compiled the "12 Codes of Christmas" to help physicians and their staff prepare documentation during the holiday season.
ICD-10 is supposed to make medical coding more accurate by giving medical professionals a wide array of options. ICD-10 has more than 68,000 codes, versus 13,000 for ICD-9. This will hopefully lead to improved patient outcomes, accurate and efficient billing, and enhanced research, as data can be easily shared and classified.
It also leads to some humorously detailed diagnoses, as this list of the 12 Codes for Christmas reveals.
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T34.539A: Frostbite with tissue necrosis of unspecified finger.
Frosty the Snowman knows all about frozen extremities, and so do many humans this time of year. Lucky for physicians, they now have code T34.539A. Recommended treatment? A hot cup of cocoa (and a thicker pair of gloves).
V00.228A: Other sled accident, initial encounter.
Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh can be fun, but also dangerous. As can sledding down a neighborhood hill with only gravity for propulsion. Thanks to V00.228A, your doctor will code your next sledding accident to perfection.
W45.1: Paper entering through skin.
Giving gifts is one of the joys of the season, but wrapping them can be painful. After applying Band-Aids(tm) to your paper cuts, your physician will enter code W45.1 to document the injury precipitated by your generosity.
W11.XXXA: Fall on and from ladder, initial encounter.
Did you pull a Clark Griswold and slip from your ladder while hanging up your Christmas lights? Code W11.XXXA has you covered. However, this is only used for your first accident. If it happens again, your doctor will have to use a different code.
R49.0: Hoarseness.
Too much "Fa La La La La La La La La'ing"? If your Christmas caroling leaves you hoarse, your doctor now has code R49.0 to document your condition and get you back on the harmonious track before the New Year.
J30.2: Other seasonal allergy.
Allergic to your Christmas tree, or the reindeer on your roof? Code J30.2 will cover all of your seasonal allergies, from the mistletoe above the door to the fruitcake your aunt baked (don't worry, we won't tell if you don't).
Y93.4: Activities involving dancing and other rhythmic movement.
Has rocking around the Christmas tree left you limping? Code Y93.4 now covers all of your holiday dancefloor mishaps, from "Feliz Navidad" falls to "White Christmas" wipeouts.
V06.00XA: Pedestrian on foot injured in collision with other non-motor vehicle in non-traffic accident, initial encounter.
Poor Granny, she never even saw that reindeer coming. Lucky for her the new coding system has exactly what the doctor ordered: code V06.00XA. Let's hope Rudolph is a bit more careful next time.
V06.00XA: Pedestrian on foot injured in collision with other non-motor vehicle in non-traffic accident, initial encounter.
Poor Granny, she never even saw that reindeer coming. Lucky for her the new coding system has exactly what the doctor ordered: code V06.00XA. Let's hope Rudolph is a bit more careful next time.
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