Icd 10 Research Paper

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A medical biller and coder needs to understand medical terminology when coding for many reasons. ICD-10 codes (both CM and PCS) are really specific, so a coder will need an in depth knowledge not only of medical terminology, but anatomy and physiology as well. To be proficient, a coder should know the organ systems as wells as their parts. A coder and biller should also know where to look for codes related to a certain part of the body. So knowledge of medical terminology is a must. It is used to lessen confusion and support data. Terminology in ICD-10-PCS might be different than what a coder is used to. So it is best to know which term is the best to use, and to know what it is exactly that you are coding. As long as you have a healthy knowledge …show more content…

Federal agencies and private businesses developed conversion tools to aid in the transition (crosswalks and mapping). There are also a few specific guidelines to follow when coding for ICD-10 such as in the selection for the full code. The coder needs to first check the tabular list to know whether or not a 7th character is required. If a dash is included then additional characters is required there is a dash at the end of an alphabetic index entry. If there is not a dash it is still important to be sure by checking the tabular list. ICD-10 diagnoses codes can have three, four, five, six, or even seven characters versus the five in ICD-9. Some of the new features found in ICD-10 are: Laterality Combination codes for certain conditions and common associated symptoms Combination codes for poisonings and associated external causes Character “X” used as a placeholder Two types of Excludes notes References BC Magazine. (2013, October 1). Terminology, anatomy and physiology: what is the real challenge in preparation for ICD-10? Retrieved from

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