Health Information Management

Understand inpatient wound care coding for RAC audits

Briefings on Coding Compliance Strategies, May 1, 2009

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Two ICD-9 codes denote debridement in relation to wound care: 86.22, excisional debridement of wound, infection, or burn and 86.28, nonexcisional debridement of wound, infec¬tion or burn. Coders should arm themselves with as much wound care and coding knowledge as possible to prepare for an¬ticipated audits. That means understanding the clinical difference between excisional and nonex¬cisional debridement, knowing what documentation is required to support each procedure, and proactively edu¬cating physicians and other staff members who perform these procedures about what they need to document in the medical record.

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