Title: Module 7 Coding Diseases
Course: Introduction to Coding and Classification Systems > Section: Module 7: Coding Diseases for the Circulatory System

Introduction

Module 7 will consist of coding diseases for the circulatory system and neoplasms located in Chapters 24 and 25 and will require a lot of reading. You may find this module very challenging because there are many guidelines to learn for these two body systems. You will use the hypertension and neoplasm tables provided in the Index to refine your coding selections and then go to the Tabular List to select the correct codes.

Again, you should concentrate on coding the diagnosis and not the procedure codes here and read these chapters thoroughly to fully understand how to code accurately for cardiovascular disorders and diseases. It is very important to take special note of the information in the margins for documentation guidance in the medical record and clarification on coding principles. In Chapter 24, focus on the content surrounding rheumatic heart disease, myocardial infarctions, chronic ischemic heart disease, heart failure, cerebral vascular disorders, and Late Effects, hypertension and elevated blood pressure coding guidelines.

In Chapter 25 on Neoplasms, you will access the Neoplasm Table, under neoplasm, in the index to determine whether the tumor is considered primary, secondary, Ca in situ, benign, uncertain behavior, or unspecified. It is imperative you check the codes in the Tabular List for correct coding assignment. You do not need to assign M Codes.

The sequencing of codes for neoplastic diseases follows the principal diagnosis rule: The principal diagnosis is the condition found after study to have occasioned the current admission or encounter. Therefore, determining where the treatment was directed, whether the primary or secondary site, will determine the principal diagnosis for this admission or encounter. Read about when a patient is admitted just for Chemotherapy or Radiation therapy, in that case, the principal diagnosis code will be a V Code: V58.0, V58.11, or V58.12 depending on the circumstances of the admission.

NOTE: The term “invasive” is often used to describe the extension of the tumor cells to other adjacent sites. The resulting spread is called “metastasis”.

Course Outcomes

- Recognizes the basic coding steps for coding medical diagnosis in both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM. (1)
- Comprehends the basic coding guidelines established by the American Hospital Association for both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10CM. (2)
- Converts medical documentation into both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes. (3)
- Applies the official coding guidelines to the coding of medical diagnosis for all body systems (circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal, urinary, blood-forming organs, reproductive, gastrointestinal, etc.) (5)
- Demonstrates thorough understanding of selection of the principal diagnosis and any secondary diagnosis associated with the episode of care or hospital admission. (6)
- Performs accurate diagnosis code assignment for all body systems based upon the documentation provided in the health record. (8)

Objectives

After completing the module you should be able to:

- Classify the disorders related to the heart and the rest of the circulatory system.
- Distinguish between the different conditions regarded as ischemic heart disease.
- Classify heart failure by category and location.
- Explain the various classifications of neoplasms.
- Locate codes for neoplastic diseases.
- Code for malignant neoplasms (both solid and hematopoietic or lymphatic).
- Code for the treatment of neoplastic diseases.

Readings and Resources

- Read Chapter 24 and 25 and complete all exercises to prepare for Test 7
- Review coding guidelines

Discussion

The above link takes you to the discussion page.  Please follow the directions and post your response.

The Heart
Please label the parts of the heart in the attached diagram.  Can you add any codes you might expect to use when assigning codes to a circulatory/heart diagnosis? Submit your document here.
Test
There are 25 questions worth 2 points each. You have one hour to complete the open book exam. You have an additional opportunity to retake the test if you want to improve your score.