Is it Dyspnea or Something Else? Master ICD-10 Coding of Respiratory Conditions

October 14, 2015 11 am Pacific / 12 pm Mountain / 1 pm Central / 2 pm Eastern 90 Minutes
Ann Rambusch
Ann RambuschMSN, HCS-D, HCS-O, RN President, Rambusch Home Health Consulting, AHIMA Certified ICD-10 Trainer

Home health patients with respiratory problems frequently present to the emergency room with shortness of breath or dyspnea. But dyspnea, as scary as it is for the patient, is just a symptom of an underlying condition. Respiratory disorders such as asthma, COPD, pneumonia, chronic and acute bronchitis, emphysema, and influenza are often the cause of dyspnea but not the only cause. The key for coders and clinicians is to determine the cause of that symptom and the chief reason the patient is now being referred for home health services.

COPD, a common respiratory problem, is a chronic, progressive respiratory disorder, is the third leading cause of disability, the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., and is a causative factor in more than half a million hospital admissions annually. Because COPD is also one of the top 10 reasons patients are referred to home health agencies for follow-up and management, it’s important to code this and other respiratory diagnoses correctly.

Coding COPD and other respiratory disorders can be difficult because clinical record documentation may be incomplete or confusing. Coders and clinicians must understand the terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology of these diseases to code them accurately.

Common questions asked about coding respiratory conditions are:

  • What should we code in M1011 when the patient is seen in the ER for dyspnea?
  • When should I code respiratory failure as acute?
  • If the patient was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia but is no longer receiving antibiotics - what should I code?
  • When should I code an exacerbation of COPD?
  • How do I code end stage COPD?
  • What’s the difference between acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis?
  • How do I code chronic obstructive asthma?
  • What documentation in the record will support respiratory diagnoses assigned in M1021/M1023?

Knowing the answer to questions like the ones above is critical to coding respiratory diagnoses correctly.

This free webinar will focus on providing participants with the key steps in assignment of these common home health diagnoses using the ICD-10-CM classification system and the official guidelines governing the coding and sequencing of respiratory conditions. Attendees will be able to apply the ICD-10 guidelines and test their understanding of the assignment of respiratory disorder diagnosis codes using short scenarios throughout the webinar.