Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

Published on Mon Aug 13, 2012 PDF

Question: Our patient had a routine colonoscopy and two hours later was admitted to the hospital with a perforated viscous and developed peritonitis. He had a colon resection with ileostomy and developed paralytic ileus post-op.

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Answer: For this patient, list the following codes:

• M1022a: 997.49 (Other digestive system complications);
• M1022b: 567.9 (Unspecified peritonitis);
• M1022c: V55.2 (Attention to illeostomy); and
• M1022d: V58.62 (Long-term [current] use of antibiotics).

Your patient was hospitalized for his perforated viscous as a complication of his colonoscopy and his subsequent peritonitis. Because he is still experiencing a complication of the original procedure (peritonitis), it's not appropriate to list an aftercare V code for this patient.

Instead, list 997.49 to indicate that your patient is experiencing digestive system complications as your principal diagnosis code.

Next, list 567.9 for your patient's peritonitis. This helps to specify the complication your patient experienced.

Follow this with V55.2 to report your patient's illeostomy and the care you are providing.

Finally, list V58.62 to show that he is receiving antibiotics for the peritonitis.

Note: Thanks to participants on our Home Health Coding & OASIS Discussion List for sharing this scenario and coding suggestions. Join us at http://osslogin.com/list/join_homehealth.html.