Ebola Virus Disease in ICD-10-CM is a single code A98.4
The ongoing outbreak of the Ebola virus is an example of the way transitioning to ICD-10 can benefit the ability of public health officials to respond to global pandemics. Tracking of the Ebola outbreak with coded data is imprecise due to the lack of a specific code for Ebola in ICD-9-CM. There is no code for Ebola disease in ICD-9-CM,but is available in ICD-10-CM.The code used in ICD9 is 078.89 which refers to multiple viral diseases. However under ICD-10 there is a code available Ebola Virus Disease A98.4. This is yet another reason that the ICD-10-CM/PCS code sets need to be implemented on October 1, 2015.
It?s important for coders to recognize the integral signs and symptoms of Ebola. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a list as follows:
- Fever
- Severe headache
- Muscle pain
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Unexplained hemorrhage.
The value of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, Clinical Modification is so evident by the expansion within many of the categories and subcategories of the code set.
ICD-9-CM data had always been utilized for biosurveillance and with that certain infectious diseases like West Nile Virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Ebola are great examples of this. In addition, the expansion of disease surveillance and management is global .According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) ?Ebola? is Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF) and is one of numerous Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. It is a severe, often fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees.
When we look at the coding classification today, there are several hemorrhagic fevers listed.
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is indexed under ?Fever? in ICD-9-CM, then to ?hemorrhagic? and then ?Ebola? to code O65.8.
The three-digit category in the tabular index is ?Arthropod-borne hemorrhagic fever? = 065 and code 065.8 Other specified arthropod-borne hemorrhagic fever.
In ICD-9-CM the specific Ebola description is not listed, however there is another inclusion under O65.8 ?Mite-borne hemorrhagic fever.? ICD-10-CM has the ability to list ?Ebola virus disease? in the alphabetic index and directs one to look at code A98.4, which is not under a fever (symptom) term. In the ICD-10-CM tabular, the three-character category is found as A98 Other viral hemorrhagic fevers, not elsewhere classified and then the entry for code A98.4 with the actual title (description) of Ebola virus disease that does appear to be more specific than ICD-9.
Coded data used for biosurveillance and public health is received, analyzed, interpreted, and reported upon to many governmental and non-governmental agencies and bodies.
With the October 2015 implementation date, there is now some additional time to review the specific ICD-10 chapters within the code set to enhance ones knowledge, familiarity, as well as preparing for greater data for our healthcare system.