Documenting and Coding Pulmonary Embolism

Documenting and Coding Pulmonary Embolism Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a condition that causes a blockage in the pulmonary artery, which supplies the blood to the lungs.

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One of the most common cardiovascular diseases in the United States, pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot that occurs in the lungs. The restricted blood flow can cause damage to the part of the lungs due to restricted blood flow and reduce oxygen levels in the blood. If left untreated, large or multiple blood clots occurring due to the condition can be fatal and life-threatening. Diagnosing and treating pulmonary embolism can be challenging. Proper documentation is important to justify medical necessity and the selection of right medical codes is crucial for billing and coding purposes. Relying on the services of a professional cardiology medical billing and coding company can help in accurate and timely claim submission to insurers.

Causes and Symptoms The condition occurs when a blood clot gets wedged into an artery in the lungs.

These blood clots occur due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – a condition when blood clots form in veins deep in the body. In certain cases, blockages in the blood vessels also occur due to other causes like – injury or damage (like bone fractures or muscle tears), sedentary lifestyle, fat from the marrow of a broken long bone, part of a tumor, air bubbles and other medical conditions The symptoms of this condition can vary greatly and may depend on the size of the clot and the underlying lung or heart disease a person suffers from. Shortness of breath (gradual or sudden) is one of the most common symptoms associated with the condition. Other related symptoms include – spitting up blood, excessive sweating, leg pain or swelling in the calf or both, weak pulse, rapid breathing and heart beat, cough, and chest pain that could extend to the arm, neck, jaw and shoulder.

How to Diagnose and Treat PE? For people with an underlying lung or heart condition, pulmonary embolism is quite difficult to diagnose. Physicians may conduct a physical examination and medical history to diagnose PE. Blood tests, chest X-ray, Ultrasound, CT pulmonary angiography, Electrocardiography (ECG), Ventilation-perfusion scan (V/Q scan), pulmonary angiogram and MRI scan may be performed to discover the exact cause of symptoms. Treatment for PE includes medications like blood thinners (anticoagulants) and clot dissolvers (thrombolytics). In certain cases, surgical options like clot removal, vein filter and open surgery will be required. Cardiologists or other specialists dealing with PE patients must carefully document the diagnosis www.outsourcestrategies.com

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and treatments using the right medical codes. Medical billing services offered by reputable medical billing companies can help physicians ensure the correct codes for medical billing purposes. ICD-10 codes for pulmonary embolism include – I26 Pulmonary embolism I26.0 Pulmonary embolism with acute cor pulmonale  I26.01 Septic pulmonary embolism with acute cor pulmonale  I26.02 Saddle embolus of pulmonary artery with acute cor pulmonale  I26.09 Other pulmonary embolism with acute cor pulmonale I26.9 Pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale  I26.90 Septic pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale  I26.92 Saddle embolus of pulmonary artery without acute cor pulmonale  I26.93 Single subsegmental pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale  I26.94 Multiple subsegmental pulmonary emboli without acute cor pulmonale  I26.99 Other pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale Simple lifestyle steps like a good diet, regular physical activity and avoiding smoking can help reduce the risks of blood clots. A high-risk patient can take anticoagulant medications, such as heparin and warfarin, to prevent blood clots from returning.

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