Wiki Coding Blood Chemistry Codes Correctly

[mattstella101]

I'm currently coding for an out-patient Primary Care clinic and some doctors are documenting terms like "elevated potassium," or "elevated sodium." My colleague had bought to my attention that according to the Faye Brown book, we have to code 790.6 when it is documented like that and "Hyperkalemia" or "Hypernatermia" would need to be documented in order to use those "2" codes available.

Pleae help me out here because I see this on a daily basis and might have been coding wrong in the past. Is this rule strictly for in-patient only?

thanks!

 

[ajs]

I'm currently coding for an out-patient Primary Care clinic and some doctors are documenting terms like "elevated potassium," or "elevated sodium." My colleague had bought to my attention that according to the Faye Brown book, we have to code 790.6 when it is documented like that and "Hyperkalemia" or "Hypernatermia" would need to be documented in order to use those "2" codes available.

Pleae help me out here because I see this on a daily basis and might have been coding wrong in the past. Is this rule strictly for in-patient only?

thanks!

That is correct. The physician has not diagnosed the condition, just the abnormal lab test. Until the physician calls it something else that is all you can code.

 

[mattstella101]

thanks for the quick response!