ICD9 and ICD10 Codes - Know What Differentiates Them
By Michele James Smith of Supercoder
One can find International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes on patient paperwork, including hospital records, physician records, and death certificates. Today, most of the ICD codes used in the United States are version 9, which are called ICD-9 CM codes.
They may be there in the current paperwork alright, but ICD-9 codes are being phased out through 2011 and will be replaced by ICD-10 codes. As a result, there will be a number of changes to the system, including the codes. Most countries in the world have implemented the ICD-10 codes but the tough part is that the transition is very expensive. Most American providers have not yet graduated to the ICD-10 system.
There certainly are major differences between ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. The ICD-10 diagnosis and procedure coding system is more complex than ICD-9 coding, but it will allow for a greater level of clinical detail and will be better able to keep pace with advances in technology.
ICD-9 code: Most ICD-9 codes have three characters to the left of a decimal point, and one or two digits to the right of the decimal point. Some of these codes are preceded by a V or E.
ICD 10 code: On the other hand, ICD-10 codes are approached differently and are broken down into chapters and sub chapters. They consist of a letter plus two digits to the left of the decimal point, then one disease to the right. Diseases are grouped by letters here. For instance, if you are to code a malignancy (cancer), you'll need to place a C in front of the code; similarly you'll need to put a K to indicate gastrointestinal problems. It's being expected that ICD-10 will have better data for evaluating and improving quality of care and will provide codes for a more complete picture. So let's wait and watch what the coming times unravel.