Wiki Practicode Confusion

[perkisen@mail.uc.edu]

The Practicode answers are inconsistent. Sometimes they include past medical history in the ICD 10 codes, and sometimes they don't. I recently completed two Practicode cases involving ER visits. One did not require the past medical history, and the other did. How do you know when to include the past medical history?

 

[sls314]

The Practicode answers are inconsistent. Sometimes they include past medical history in the ICD 10 codes, and sometimes they don't. I recently completed two Practicode cases involving ER visits. One did not require the past medical history, and the other did. How do you know when to include the past medical history?

Generally, it would be when the history of that condition is relevant to the current encounter.

For example, say the patient had prostate cancer that resolved and completed treatment 5 years ago.

If the patient came in with a runny nose and a cough, it wouldn't really be relevant to include the Z85.46 for history of prostate cancer.

Now, say the same patient presents with bone pain and the physician documents that they're ordering additional testing to rule out the possibility of bone metastasis. You'd code the current symptoms along with the Z85.46 because the history of prostate cancer is relevant to the current encounter.