Cracking the Code
Coding Changing Severity of Pressure Ulcers
- Published on
If a patient is admitted to a hospital with a pressure ulcer that progresses during the patient’s stay to another severity, then it’s appropriate to report two separate diagnosis codes. The first code is for the site and severity of the ulcer that was present on admission, and the second one is for the severity level that was reported during the stay.
Q: If a patient is admitted to a hospital with a pressure ulcer that progresses during the patient’s stay to another severity, then it’s appropriate to report two separate diagnosis codes. The first code is for the site and severity of the ulcer that was present on admission, and the second one is for the severity level that was reported during the stay.
A: L89.314 (pressure ulcer of right buttock, stage 4) L89.313 (pressure ulcer of right buttock, stage 3)
Reference: ICD -10-CM Official Coding Guidelines Ch. 12 Section B.3. Coding Clinic 4th Quarter 2016 pg. 124