This article was co-authored by Arvind Madan. Arvind Madan is an Internal Medicine Doctor based in Orlando, Florida. With over 23 years of experience, Arvind works as a Physician at Central FL Kidney Specialists and is the Principal Investigator of the research division there. Arvind is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a sub-specialty in Nephrology. He is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine. He is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM). He received his MD from Maulana Azad Medical College at Delhi University and completed his residency at Nassau County Medical Center.
There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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As a medical professional, you know that a diagnosis is essential. Without one, you have no way of knowing how to treat your patients. The diagnostic process can feel overwhelming, but rest assured that it will soon become second nature. The key thing is that you remember this is a collaborative, perpetually-ongoing process—you may refer your patient to other doctors and it may take multiple visits to revise, update, or confirm a diagnosis.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat does a medical diagnosis code mean?Arvind MadanArvind Madan is an Internal Medicine Doctor based in Orlando, Florida. With over 23 years of experience, Arvind works as a Physician at Central FL Kidney Specialists and is the Principal Investigator of the research division there. Arvind is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, with a sub-specialty in Nephrology. He is an Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine. He is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM). He received his MD from Maulana Azad Medical College at Delhi University and completed his residency at Nassau County Medical Center.
Internal Medicine DoctorSo, the code for the medical diagnosis would be an ICD-10 code. Now, to give one example, if you are to diagnose a patient with chronic kidney disease, stage 3, the code will run N18.3. If you are not sure of the correct code, you can easily get it online by searching for the condition. There are two major advantages related to the use of ICD-10 codes. First, it is a fact that this might be easier psychologically on the patient; the patient may not need to know exactly what is wrong with them, and this might just spare him or her from undue stress. Second, most insurance companies want and need ICD-10 codes, and pharmacists prefer them; thus, this makes for an easier approval process. Example: Instead of writing "hypertension," use the code I10. This way, they are assured of clarity and compliance about medical records and insurance claims.
Tips
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Remember that patient-related documentation may be used in court cases, so keep it factual.Thanks
Warnings
- Make sure the patient is fully aware of the meaning of the diagnosis.Thanks
- You must back up your diagnosis with factual medical reasoning to avoid malpractice suits.Thanks
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about improving your medical skills, check out our in-depth interview with Arvind Madan.
References
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26262181/
- ↑ https://gut.bmj.com/content/53/suppl_4/iv49
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2277113/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK361/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338593/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31393577/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17245396/
- ↑ https://ebm.bmj.com/content/14/3/66
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338593/
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