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Wiki would you code "longstanding smoking history" as past or current smoking?

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The Angel Of the South

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It could mean the pt currently smokes or that he quit in the past. Doesn't say any more about the smoking. So I can't tell whether to code z87.891 or z72.0. Is there a default? I suspect I should code z72.0.

If this weren't practicode, I would want to query the provider.
 
Hmmm, I'm no expert, but you are correct. I'd query the provider. I have seen Longstanding history to mean current (and for a long time before now, obviously). Usually when I see a PMH with smoking cessation, it indicated how long they smoked, and when they quit. I know that's not particularly helpful... Just giving you another clinician's perspective. I'm sorry. Please let us know what you come up with .
 
In that context, from my experience, most clinicians would use this to mean - the patient has been (and is still currently) smoking. It is a situation where "history" could mean multiple things out of context. In the real world, if the context is not there I would query my clinician.
I have recently started working with a new physician who uses "history" all the time to mean - the patient has an existing known current problem. Like "history of fibroids" means - the patient had fibroids in the past and still has them.
 
csperoni said:
In that context, from my experience, most clinicians would use this to mean - the patient has been (and is still currently) smoking. It is a situation where "history" could mean multiple things out of context. In the real world, if the context is not there I would query my clinician.
I have recently started working with a new physician who uses "history" all the time to mean - the patient has an existing known current problem. Like "history of fibroids" means - the patient had fibroids in the past and still has them.
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I hope you can convince him/her to change his/her habit.
 
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