Wiki question about UTI dx

[peanutbutterkisses]

Good morning,

My physician dx UTI with based on urinalysis. In order to code a UTI, I must also code the bateria. Without a culture, is it appropriate to code 599.0 and 041.9? Also, if there is a culture and the results come back stating "no growth" do I code the symptoms only?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[mitchellde]

The physician is allowed to diagnosis infections based on the presentation of the patient, for a UTI you do not need the bacteria. Nor do you need to wait for the culture, and if you did and the culture states no growth if the documentation states a UTI then a UTI is what you code. You are not the doctor and you may not diagnose the patient nor second guess a diagnosis rendered.

 

[peanutbutterkisses]

Thanks for your reply. The ICD-9 code for 599.0 states to "use additional code to identify organism". Thats why I asked, because that is not always specified.