Pediatric Coding Alert

Follow these 3 tips for successful coding now -- and later. The term "abdominal pain" includes a myriad of diagnosis possibilities, so don't just skim the surface and accept 789.00 (Abdominal pain; unspecified site). An "unspecified" diagnosis could equal no pay, so follow these tips for using more specific -- and more successfully paid -- diagnoses. 1. Establish the Exact Location For ease of coding, the abdomen is divided into four areas, or quadrants, so it's easier to pinpoint areas. Imagine horizontal and vertical lines intersecting at the patient's bellybutton and you've created the quadrants. Then look for the letter "Q" in the documentation because indicate the affected abdominal area as follows: • RUQ -- Right upper quadrant, or 789.01 (Abdominal pain) • LUQ -- Left upper quadrant, or 789.02 • LLQ -- Left lower quadrant, or 789.03 • RLQ -- Right lower quadrant, or 789.04. If your documentation of abdominal pain mentions more than one location -- [...]