Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Report otomycosis underlying disease, ICD-9 instructions indicate. When chart notes contain elusive terms, such as "ear effusions" and "fungal otitis externa," following ICD-9 Coding Conventions will keep you coding like an otolaryngology expert. To submit the correct diagnostic codes for complicated ear diagnoses, remember these rules. Start With 'A' First, you should always look up the key terms in ICD-9's Alphabetic Index. Sometimes, you'll find the diagnosis the otolaryngologist listed. 2 Sources Unlock Possible Diagnoses When you're confronted by anatomic or medical terms that don't appear in ICD-9's Alphabetic Index - and you're not familiar with the phrases - you should use your sources. "Look up the key terms in a good medical dictionary," says John Bishop, PA-C, CPC, MS, CWS, president of Tampa, Fla.-based Bishop and Associates. The information may point you to a listed ICD-9 diagnosis. Example: An otolaryngologist states that the diagnosis for tubes is "ear effusions." [...]