icd 10 cm code for septic shock secondary to bacterial pneumonia

by Dr. Gaetano Balistreri DDS 6 min read

Sepsis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae
A40. 3 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM A40. 3 became effective on October 1, 2021.

Full Answer

What is the ICD-10 code for sepsis secondary to pneumonia?

The final diagnosis is sepsis due to pneumonia. In this case, since the sepsis was present on admission and due to the underlying infection of pneumonia, the coder would sequence sepsis (A41. 9-Sepsis unspecified organism) as the PDX and pneumonia (J18. 9-Pneumonia, unspecified organism) as a SDX code.

What is the ICD-10-CM code for septic shock?

ICD-10 code R65. 21 for Severe sepsis with septic shock is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified .

Can sepsis and bacteremia be coded together?

81, Bacteremia, is a symptom code with an Exclude1 note stating it can't be used with sepsis and that additional documentation related to the cause of the infection, i.e., gram-negative bacteria, salmonella, etc., would be needed for correct code assignment.

When a patient has septic shock which code is listed as secondary?

subcategory R65.2If the patient has severe sepsis, a code from subcategory R65. 2 should also be assigned as a secondary diagnosis.

How do you code septic shock?

Septic shock – Code first the underlying systemic infection, such as 038.0 (Streptococcal septicemia), then code 995.92 for severe sepsis, then code 785.52 for septic shock and finally assign the code for the specific type of organ failure inherent to septic shock, such as 584.9 for acute renal failure.

Is septic shock the same as sepsis?

ANSWER: Sepsis is a serious complication of an infection. It often triggers various symptoms, including high fever, elevated heart rate and fast breathing. If sepsis goes unchecked, it can progress to septic shock — a severe condition that occurs when the body's blood pressure falls and organs shut down.

When is sepsis a secondary diagnosis?

If sepsis develops during the hospital stay, both the systemic infection code and the 995.91 code should be sequenced as secondary diagnoses. Severe sepsis is defined as SIRS due to an infection that progresses to organ dysfunction, such as kidney or heart failure.

What is the difference between bacteremia and sepsis?

Bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the blood, hence a microbiological finding. Sepsis is a clinical diagnosis needing further specification regarding focus of infection and etiologic pathogen, whereupon clinicians, epidemiologists and microbiologists apply different definitions and terminology.

How do you code SIRS secondary to pneumonia?

How should we report SIRS due to pneumonia? Answer: Assign only code J18. 9, Pneumonia unspecified organism.

Can septic shock be principal diagnosis?

As noted in the Tabular List, the code for septic shock cannot be assigned as the principal diagnosis. The Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting Section I.C.

Should sepsis always be coded first?

ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting directs us that when sepsis or severe sepsis is documented as being associated with a noninfectious condition, such as a burn or serious injury, and this condition meets the definition for principal diagnosis, the code for the noninfectious condition should be ...

Can R65 21 be a primary diagnosis?

The code for septic shock cannot be assigned as a principal diagnosis. For septic shock, the code for the underlying infection should be sequenced first, followed by code R65. 21, Severe sepsis with septic shock or code T81.

Should bacteremia be principal diagnosis?

If a patient is admitted because of bacteremia, it should be the principal diagnosis even though bacteremia is a symptom code, because it is the condition that occasioned the admission.

What is the ICD-10 code for bacteremia?

R78.81ICD-10 code R78. 81 for Bacteremia is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified .

Is bacteremia a diagnosis?

Diagnosis of Bacteremia If bacteremia, sepsis, or septic shock is suspected, doctors usually take a sample of blood so they can try to grow ( culture. Doctors suspect an infection based on the person's symptoms, physical examination results,... read more ) the bacteria in the laboratory and identify it.

What is the A41.51?

A41.51 Sepsis due to Escherichia coli [E. coli] N39.0. SIR S. SIRS is the body’s clinical cascading response to infection or trauma that triggers an acute inflammatory reaction and progresses to coagulation of the blood, impaired fibrinolysis, and organ failure.

What is the term for a lab finding of infectious organisms in the blood?

Bacteremia . Bacteremia is a lab finding of infectious organisms in the blood. The patient has no clinical signs of sepsis or SIRS. Bacteremia may be transient, or may lead to sepsis. When a patient’s blood cultures are positive and not believed to be a contaminant, the patient is usually treated with antibiotics.

What are the symptoms of SIRS?

SIRS is manifested by two or more of the following symptoms: fever, tachycardia, tachypnea, leukocytosis, or leukopenia. Documentation issues: When SIRS is documented on the chart, determine if it’s due to an infectious or non-infectious cause. SIRS due to a localized infection can no longer be coded as sepsis in.

What are the discharge diagnoses?

The discharge diagnoses were influenza with pneumonia bacterial superinfection, positive for pseudomonas, as well as acidosis, asthma exacerbation, hypoxemia, and chronic bronchitis. Sepsis and SIRS were not mentioned on the discharge summary, and are mentioned only sporadically throughout the progress notes.

Why is severe sepsis not assigned?

For instance, if severe sepsis, pneumonia, and acute renal failure due to dehydration are documented, the code for severe sepsis may not be assigned because the acute renal failure is not stated as due to or associated with sepsis. If the documentation is unclear, query the physician.

What is the P36 code?

Codes from category P36 include the organism; an additional code for the infectious organism is not assigned. If the P36 code does not describe the specific organism, an additional code for the organism can be assigned. Urosepsis. The term “urosepsis” is not coded in ICD-10-CM.

What is post-procedural sepsis?

Post-procedural Sepsis and Sepsis Due to a Device, Implant, or Graft. A systemic infection can occur as a complication of a procedure or due to a device, implant, or graft. This includes systemic infections due to wound infection, infusions, transfusions, therapeutic injections, implanted devices, and transplants.

What is the code for severe sepsis with septic shock?

Severe sepsis with septic shock: Septic shock means severe sepsis associated with circulatory failure. Assign the code in the same above format (severe sepsis) as it represents the type of acute organ dysfunction. But here, we will report a code R65.21 (which indicates severe sepsis with septic shock) instead of R65.20 (severe sepsis).

What is the meaning of the code for sepsis?

Sepsis means potentially fatal condition caused when the body responses to the presence of infection or organisms in the blood. Choose the appropriate “A” code from the alphabetical index to indicate sepsis with type of infection or causal organism, if the doctor documents “Sepsis with type of infection or causal organism”.

What is the A41.9 code?

If the doctor documents “Sepsis” but the type of infection or causal organism is not specified, then will assign the A41.9 code, which indicates Sepsis, unspecified organism.

What is sub R65.2?

Sub: R65.2. Generally refers to sepsis with Associated acute or multiple organ dysfunction. Septic shock. Generally refers to circulatory failure associated with severe sepsis and therefore represents a type of acute organ dysfunction - provider must specify septic shock in order to code it as such.

How many codes are needed for severe sepsis?

The coding of severe sepsis requires a minimum of two codes: 1. Sequence first code for the underlying infection followed by a code from subcategory R65.2, severe sepsis. 2. If the causal organism is not documented assign code A41.9, sepsis, unspecified organism for the infection. 3.

What is the term for the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream after a trauma or an infection?

Presence of bacteria in the bloodstream after a trauma or an infection. Sepsis. SIRS due to infection. A severe case indicates organ dysfunction. Septic shock. Circulatory failure associated with severe sepsis. Septicemia. A systemic disease associated with pathological microorganisms or toxins in the bloodstream.

What is sepsis code assignment?

Coding / sepsis due to post-procedural infection. As with all post-procedural complications, code assignment for sepsis due to a post-procedural infection is based on providers documentation of the relationship between the infection and the procedure. Coding / post-procedural infection. 1.

What does R78.81 mean?

R78.81. Refers to presence of bacteria in the bloodstream after trauma or mild infection - condition is usually transient. Urosepsis. A non-specific term and should not be considered synonymous with sepsis - has no default code in the alphabetic index - physician should be queried for clarification.

What is septicemia in medical terms?

Septicemia. A systemic disease associated with pathological microorganisms or toxins in the bloodstream. SIRS. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome. A systemic response to infection or trauma with such symptoms as fever and tachycardia. Coding for HIV / AIDS is not allowed unless.

What is the code for MRSA nasal swab?

Coding / both MRSA colonization and MRSA infection. Z22.322, carrier or suspected carrier of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.