ICD-10 coding for Viruses, Influenza and Other Germs – Did you Catch That?

When something “goes viral” it spreads rapidly through a population by being shared really often – it could be a video or meme or something else. Viruses do just that; they are conditions that spread relatively rapidly and easily from person to person but the difference is the person (host) usually does not intentionally share the virus as they would a video or meme. That is probably why we refer to “catching” a virus. The dictionary states that a virus is “an infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host. Another definition is “a piece of code which is capable of copying itself and typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data.” Viruses are incapable of thriving and reproducing outside of a host.

We deal with viruses every day; whether it is a cold, influenza, chicken pox or cold sores they are amongst the most common conditions for which people seek medical treatment. Now more than ever in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic it is important that we are accurately reporting these conditions. There is so much mis-information, it easy to get misled. In this session we are taking an in depth look at reporting some of the most common viral conditions and ensure we are following official guidance.

Topics include:

• An overview of common viral conditions and ICD-10 code options
• Review of ICD-10-CM guidelines for reporting viruses and other common infectious processes
• Evaluating documentation and searching for query opportunities

Attend this session to learn to:

• Utilize learned information to make logical decisions regarding coding and query for viral conditions;
• Apply ICD-10-CM rules for appropriate diagnosis selection and achieve medical necessity;
• Describe key ICD-10 and Coding Clinic instructional guidance specific to coding for viral conditions