Wiki Sepsis - When coding sepsis

[Ms.M]

Hi,
When coding sepsis on a report. Do I have to use both codes 038.9 and 995.91?

Thank you,

 

[Lisa Bledsoe]

Yes

Yes, according to the ICD-9-CM coding guidelines (Chapter C "sequencing sepsis").

 

[mitchellde]

Yes according to the guidelines 995.91 is secondary to the organism and if no organism is specified then we use 038.9 as the first-listed code.

 

[Ms.M]

Thank you very much for the responses.

 

[rm471@columbia.edu]

what is the rule when sequencing sepsis and severe sepsis is

thanks, help

 

[PURNIMA]

Hi,

1. Sepsis is SIRS due to infectious process
2. Severe sepsis is with organ dysfuntion.
3. Septic Shock - SIRS with hypotension.

ICD codes and Sequencing of codes:

1. Sepsis - Requires two codes in the order - 038.X and 995.91
2. Severe Sepsis - Requires 3 codes - 038.X, 995.92 and specify code for Organ failure (e.g - with resp.failure - 038.X, 995.92 and 518.81)
3. Septic Shock - Requires four codes -

a. first code the etilogy - infectious process or due to trauma
b. Then either - 995.92 or 995.94
c. Then code to the organ failure
d. And then 785.52​

Hope this helps,

Thank You,

Purnima S, CPC