Seeing Healthcare in Color: Social Determinants of Health

Medical record keeping saves lives. Nuances such as social determinants of health paint a more complete picture of each patient experience. The codes are available in ICD-10-CM, yet not all providers take advantage of their existence. Though they don’t yet impact reimbursement, they definitely impact the care each patient receives. There are some potential impacts to the E&M code selection beginning in 2022. A more complete picture of the patient’s health can be revealed “in color” by the SDOH codes utilized for that encounter.

Topics include:

• Define and understand what SDOH are and why they are vital to improving healthcare outcomes
• ICD-10 codes and guidelines for SDOH
• Best Practices for Coding and Documenting SDOH