ICD-10 is the 10th edition of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, a medical classification list maintained by the World Health Organization. The list is used by doctors, healthcare providers, governments and the insurance industry to track diagnoses, procedures and more. Diseases, signs and symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints and social circumstances are all classified in codes.
It took the World Health Organization almost 10 years to complete and publish ICD-10. Around 27 countries use ICD-10 mainly for insurance and healthcare system resource allocation and reimbursement. Some countries have made additional changes to ICD-10. Though the list was completed in 1992, many countries have only recently adopted it and adapted the codes to fit their own specific needs.
What Makes ICD-10 Different?
The main difference between ICD-10 and the earlier versions, specifically ICD-9, is its expansion. The codes use alphanumeric characters. ICD-10 has more than 68,000 codes, while ICD-9 had 13,000. Because of this, more information can be conveyed in a code for easier access and use. The ICD-10 codes combine diagnoses and symptoms in one code in order to cause less confusion.
It’s important to note that the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 provides no simple mapping. Because of the expansion of the codes, there is very little marrying or correspondence between the old version and the new. However, the World Health Organization has provided ICD-10 training and support as well as study guides for download in order to ease the transition.
How Is ICD-10 Used?
The United States modified ICD-10 to become ICD-10-CM in 2015. This provides the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the National Center for Health Statistics with a better way to use the system. All inpatient medical reporting must use the ICD-10-CM codes. In addition, the ICD-10 is used for coding on death certificates and to collect mortality data.
What Will ICD-10’s Impact Be on Healthcare?
The ICD-10-CM has already had an impact on the American healthcare system. Because of the software upgrades, transitional training and other factors, implementation of the U.S. version of ICD-10 has been slow. Because ICD-10 is so specific in its classification, this has caused some confusion and frustration.
The World Health Organization announced another update to ICD-10 in 2016. New software must be installed and tested, and healthcare organizations have to provide additional training for staff, administrators and providers. New practices and policies have to be adapted to reflect the changes in the system, and paperwork and forms must be updated.
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