Wiki patholgical fractures & joint replacement codes SNF

[MsLane2018]

I work in a SNF...I just now was told that we code aftercare for joint replacementZ47.1, for a person with a pathological fracture, that has had a joint replacement. This blew me away because I was under the impression from the book that with any fracture you CANNOT code aftercare for joint replacement Z47.1. So does this rule apply only to traumatic fractures vs pathological? Please help because I may have been coding this wrong all along

 

[iowagirl77]

I would ask for documentation of this, as I cannot find that directive. I see where it states for injuries to code the fracture code with appropriate 7th character rather than Z47.1. I do not see anywhere that it states you cannot do the same for pathological fractures. It seems to me you would be giving more detailed information if you were to code the fracture code plus joint replacement status code than Z47.1 with joint replacement status codes.

 

[MsLane2018]

Unfortunately this information was told to us through a webinar my boss purchased. I tried emailing the woman who presented the webinar to ask for clarification and documentation showing that this is true, but unfortunately she has not responded. So I am left wondering if I'm coding this properly. I feel the same as you...the book does not specify that this rule only applies to traumatic fractures. If anyone has access to documentation proving, or disproving, whether a pathological fx should be coded as aftercare Z47.1 once a joint has been replace. Please feel free to respond with your documentation.