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Wiki Chronic diagnosis timeframe

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brendamcarbajal

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I am looking for any information regarding a timeframe on when an injury/illness becomes chronic? Example, knee pain for 4 months - is this acute or chronic? I seem to recall threads on Coach by Margie Vaught stating 3 months and older is chronic, but am not able to locate thread now. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!:)
 
if you look at the coding guidelines for pain they state that the provider must document the pain as acute or chronic, the coder cannot use time as a clue to chronic. For post operative the guidelines tell us that it will default to acute unless the provider documents chronic regardless of the amount of time that has passed since the surgery. There is not "rule of thumb" for how much time represents chronic, this is a condition that must be documented.
 
Agree with Debra, there isn't a set time frame guideline as to when a condition becomes chronic. As coders, we can not assume chronicity, it must come from the physician.


Cordelia, DRG Auditor, CCS, CPC
 
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