Wiki chronic vrs acute

[penguins11]

Does anyone have any documentation on correctly billing subdural hematomas? I know you bill either chronic or acute (432.1 vrs 852.20) but if the subdural is subacute, is it diagnosed as chronic or acute? (subdural was at least a month old)

 

[NLS1983]

I would go with acute...I will only code chronic if the doctor says so.

 

[Tonyj]

Does anyone have any documentation on correctly billing subdural hematomas? I know you bill either chronic or acute (432.1 vrs 852.20) but if the subdural is subacute, is it diagnosed as chronic or acute? (subdural was at least a month old)

432.1 is nontraumatic, 852.20 is traumatic. I think you should first distinguish the 2 before you use either.

 

[mitchellde]

Tonyj is correct this is not a distinction between chronic and acute but rather the cause of the hematoma.
432.1 - Is a cerbrovascular disease and is non-traumatic - "A hemorrhage below the dura layer of meneges but does not include the brain"
852.2x is an injury code for a subdural hemorrhage following injury -" The traumatic escape of blood into the subdural space, without mention of an open intracranial wound" The 5th digit of 0 implies there is no statement as to loss of consciousness.
Do not confuse these with the definition of acute, subacute or chronic.. the important point with these codes is whether there was a traumatic injury or not.