Sepsis, unspecified organism. A41.9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2019 edition of ICD-10-CM A41.9 became effective on October 1, 2018.
R65.21 | Severe sepsis with shock |
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N39.0 | UTI, site not specified |
R30.0 | Dysuria |
R50.81 | Fever presenting with conditions classified elsewhere |
N17.9 | Acute kidney failure, unspecified |
Sepsis, unspecified organism 1 A41.9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. 2 The 2020 edition of ICD-10-CM A41.9 became effective on October 1, 2019. 3 This is the American ICD-10-CM version of A41.9 - other international versions of ICD-10 A41.9 may differ.
Should a provider use this term, he/she must be queried for clarification. Action item: Explain to your urologist and coders "urosepsis" does not exist in ICD-10. That means your physician should not use that term, unless he wants to be bothered with queries.
For example, sepsis due to E. coli UTI can be coded as A41.51 and N39.0. Sepsis can be caused by fungi, candida, or viruses, as well.
The coder must query the provider when the term sepsis syndrome is documented as a final diagnosis and the clinical indicators for sepsis are met. The definitions of sepsis and the clinical indicators to determine sepsis have changed in Sepsis-3.
A41. 9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A41 A41.
90.
Septicemia – There is NO code for septicemia in ICD-10. Instead, you're directed to a combination 'A' code for sepsis to indicate the underlying infection, such A41. 9 (Sepsis, unspecified organism) for septicemia with no further detail.
According to the guidelines above, sepsis would be the appropriate principal diagnosis if it is the reason the patient is admitted, and meets the definition of principal diagnosis.
Coding tips: According to the guidelines, for all cases of documented septic shock, the code for the underlying systemic infection (i.e., sepsis) should be sequenced first, followed by code R65. 21 or T81.
Healthcare providers often use urinalysis to screen for or monitor certain common health conditions, such as liver disease, kidney disease and diabetes, and to diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs).
ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code D72 8 Other specified disorders of white blood cell...
Urine culture may be indicated to detect occult infection in renal transplant recipients on immunosuppressive therapy.
Coding sepsis requires a minimum of two codes: a code for the systemic infection (e.g., 038. xx) and the code 995.91, SIRS due to infectious process without organ dysfunction. If no causal organism is documented within the medical record, query the physician or assign code 038.9, Unspecified septicemia.
9: Fever, unspecified.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If the patient has severe sepsis, add R65.2- with the codes for specific organ dysfunctions.
You must query the physician when the term “sepsis syndrome” is documented as a final diagnosis. Know when to Query. Sepsis is a complicated condition to code, and it is often necessary to query the physician to code the case correctly.
For instance, if 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.
Localized Infection. Almost any type of infection can lead to sepsis. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. When localized infections are contained, they tend to be self-limiting and resolve with antibiotics.
Sepsis is an extreme response to infection that develops when the chemicals the immune system releases into the bloodstream to fight infection cause widespread inflammation. This inflammation can lead to blood clots and leaky blood vessels, and without timely treatment, may result in organ dysfunction and then death. Severe cases of sepsis often result from a body-wide infection that spreads through the bloodstream, but sepsis can also be triggered by an infection in the lungs, stomach, kidneys, or bladder. Thus, it is not necessary for blood cultures to be positive to code sepsis (guideline I.C.1.d.1.a.i).
To improve sepsis documentation, coding staff needs to work closely with clinical documentation improvement specialists (CDIs), and everyone must be clear on what documentation is needed to correctly code sepsis. A physician champion can be helpful to establish guidelines for the physicians and standard terminology to use when documenting sepsis. A coding tip sheet that includes various scenarios is a helpful tool for the coding department to standardize definitions and the interpretation of the coding guidelines. A regular audit of sepsis DRGs or sepsis as a secondary code can help to identify documentation issues and coders who need more education. Sepsis is never going to be easy to code, but with continuous education and teamwork across departments, the sepsis beast can be conquered.
Septic shock refers to circulatory failure associated with severe sepsis. It is a life-threatening condition that happens when the exaggerated response to infection leads to dangerously low blood pressure (hypotension). Septic shock is a form of organ failure.
If the patient is admitted with a localized infection and the patient does not develop sepsis or severe sepsis until after the admission, the localized infection is coded first, followed by the appropriate codes for sepsis or severe sepsis, if applicable .
Documentation issues: A patient with a localized infection usually presents with tachycardia, leukocytosis, tachypnea, and/or fever. These are typical symptoms of any infection. It is up to the clinical judgment of the physician to decide whether the patient has sepsis.