Questions and answers | 2024/25
The requirement for national collection of the use of fifth characters appears in which four
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ICD-10 4th Edition chapters? Either chapter numbers (Arabic or Roman numeral) or full
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titles are acceptable. [3 Marks] - Correct Answers Chapter IX (9) Diseases of the
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circulatory system
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Chapter X (10) Diseases of the respiratory system II II II II II II II
Chapter XIII (13) Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
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Chapter XIX (19) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
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The circumstances surrounding reactions to drug/medication are classified in two ways
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within ICD-10 Tabular List, Volume 1. Name both ways. [2 Marks] - Correct Answers
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Poisoning (improper use)
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Adverse effect (proper use) II II II
What must a coder do if a surgical eponym is used in the medical record to describe a
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procedure? [3 Marks] - Correct Answers The coder must analyse the procedural
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information and ensure that code assignment fully reflects the procedure performed.
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Where the coder is unsure what procedure the eponym describes, they must seek advice
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from the responsible consultant to ensure that the correct codes are assigned.
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When should site codes from Chapter Z be assigned? [1 Mark] - Correct Answers They
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must always be assigned when this adds further information about the site on which the
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procedure was performed
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What two conditions must be coded if a diagnosis of 'severe sepsis' alone is made by the
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clinician? No actual codes are required. [2 Marks] - Correct Answers (A41.9) Sepsis
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(unspecified) (R65.1) Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) of infectious
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origin with organ failure
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What is the standard regarding the use of the OPCS-4.7 code X35.1 Intravenous
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induction of labour? [1 Mark] - Correct Answers It must never be used.
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On what occasion is it a mandatory requirement to assign an OPCS-4.7 general
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anaesthetic code? [1 Mark] - Correct Answers When radiotherapy is delivered under
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general anaesthetic, a code from category Y80 General anaesthetic must be assigned in
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addition to the radiotherapy delivery.
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When should codes from ICD-10 category Z54.- Convalescence be assigned and how
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should they be sequenced? No actual codes are required. [2 Marks] - Correct Answers
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Never in primary. They must only be assigned in a secondary position when a patient has
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received convalescence in a dedicated convalescent unit.
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, How should an injury caused by a geriatric fall be coded? Describe the possible
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sequencing of these codes. No actual codes are required. [4 Marks] - Correct Answers
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Code classifying the injury sustained (from Chapter XIX). External cause code to describe
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the fall (from categories W00-W19).
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(R29.6) Tendency to fall, (not elsewhere classified). II II II II II II II
In this sequence, unless the patient remains in hospital for investigation of the falls and
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this becomes the primary focus of care, then this code (R29.6) must be sequenced before
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the codes for the injury
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What must be coded when an excision and biopsy (excision biopsy) is performed on the
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same site during the same theatre visit, and why? No actual codes are required. [2 Marks]
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- Correct Answers Only assign a code(s) for the excision as a biopsy is an integral part
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of an excision.
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When must codes from ICD-10 category Z38.- Liveborn infants according to place of birth
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be assigned in the primary coding field? [1 Mark] - Correct Answers If the baby is a
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completely well baby and has no morbid conditions that have been treated or
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investigated.
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During which procedure should OPCS-4.7 code X50.5 Evaluation of a cardiodefibrillator
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not be assigned when carried out? No actual codes are required. [1 Mark] - Correct
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Answers When testing is performed during the insertion of the cardioverter defibrillator
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(K59 Cardioverter defibrillator introduced through the vein or K72 Other cardioverter
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defibrillator).
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What precise wording, other than 'status asthmaticus', must be present in the medical
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records to be able to assign J46.X Status asthmaticus? [1 Mark] - Correct Answers
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Acute severe asthma
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How should a fracture fixation procedure be coded when the description names more
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than one type of fixation device, e.g. pin and plate? No actual codes are required. [2
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Marks] - Correct Answers Only the main part of the device that is holding the fracture
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together must be coded. When it is not clear which part of the fixation device is the main
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part holding the fracture together, advice must be sought from the responsible consultant.
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In accordance with national clinical coding standards, name the two specific forms of
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chest pain categorised to ICD-10 category R07 Pain in throat and chest. [2 Marks] -
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Correct Answers Central chest pain
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Musculoskeletal chest pain II II
In ICD-10 coding terms, describe the difference between a 'rectal haemorrhage' and 'per
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rectal haemorrhage', and the coding standards related to these terms. No actual codes
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are required. [3 Marks] - Correct Answers The code (K62.5) for 'haemorrhage of anus
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and rectum' must only be assigned for an actual haemorrhage of the anus and/or rectum.
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, It must not be assigned for haemorrhage that has occurred from elsewhere in the
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gastrointestinal tract that is merely exiting via the rectum, i.e. per rectal haemorrhage.
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The code (K92.2) for 'gastrointestinal haemorrhage, unspecified' must be assigned for a
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haemorrhage that occurred via the rectum (per rectal haemorrhage) but is not specified
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as being from the actual rectum or anus. This code must not be assigned when it is a
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symptom of a specific disease which has been diagnosed.
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How must a colonoscopy with ileal intubation that includes a biopsy of the terminal ileum
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be coded? No actual codes are required. [2 Marks] - Correct Answers (H22.1)
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Diagnostic fibreoptic endoscopic examination of colon and biopsy of lesion of colon
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followed by the site code (Z27.6) Ileum
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What clinical coding standards relating to the use of ICD-10 category O63 Long labour
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must the coder be aware of? [2 Marks] - Correct Answers It must be documented in the
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medical record that the labour or stage of labour is prolonged/long for this category to be
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used.
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If the reason for the prolonged/long labour is stated, then this must be coded instead
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When must the insertion of a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube be coded? [1 Mark] - Correct
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Answers When a patient is admitted solely for the purpose of insertion.
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What is the OPCS-4 standard when a gastroscope is not able to be inserted further than
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the patient's mouth during an endoscopy? No actual codes are required. [1 Mark] -
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Correct Answers The procedure must not be coded.
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The ICD-10 classification contains 22 chapters and is divided into three different chapter
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types. Name the three types of chapter. [3 Marks] - Correct Answers Special group
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chapters
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Body system chapters II II II
Other chapters II
When there is doubt as to where a condition should be coded which of the three chapter
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types found in the axis of the ICD-10 classification takes priority? [1 Mark] - Correct
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Answers Where there is any doubt as to where a condition should be coded, the 'special
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group' chapters must take priority.
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In order for an ICD-10 classification code to be valid what is the minimum character length
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that it must be? Describe the structure of a code and how it must be extended as
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documented in DRule.2: Category and code structure. [5 Marks] - Correct Answers
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Four.
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Three character category codes must subdivided into four character subcategories.
II
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, Where a three character category code is not subdivided into four character subdivisions
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the 'X' filler must be assigned in the fourth character field so the codes are of a standard
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length for data processing and validation.
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II
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Where a three character code requires assignment of both the 'X' filler and a fifth
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character subdivision, the 'X' filler must continue to be recorded in the fourth field before
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the fifth character, for example M45.X3 Ankylosing spondylitis, cervicothoracic region.
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Where is the 'point dash (.-)' punctuation found in the ICD-10 classification and describe
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its purpose? [3 Marks] - Correct Answers A point-dash is found in both the Tabular List
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and the Alphabetical Index to indicate there are fourth character subdivisions.
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Unique identifiers (reference number) are applied to four areas of the National Clinical
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Coding Standards ICD-10 4th Edition (2015) reference book; flow charts are one of these,
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name the other three. [3 Marks] - Correct Answers Rules
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Conventions II
Standards
Name the three types of standard documented in the National Clinical Coding Standards
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ICD-10 4th Edition (2015) reference book. Briefly describe their locations within it and
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how they should be applied. [9 Marks] - Correct Answers General coding standards are
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located at the beginning of the reference book and are applicable throughout the
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classification.
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Chapter standards are located at the beginning of an ICD-10 chapter of the reference
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book and are applicable throughout that chapter. Note that not all chapters will have
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chapter standards.
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Coding standards are located throughout each ICD-10 chapter of the reference book and
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are applicable to a specific diagnosis, disorder, disease or condition, or describe the
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correct usage of a code, category or range of codes. Coding standards are, generally,
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listed in code, category or range order.
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What must clinical coders take into account when coding a 'radical operation'? [3 Marks] -
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Correct Answers When coding radical operations:
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Code assignment must fully reflect the procedure(s) performed during the radical
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operation.
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Instructional Notes must be applied in order to fully reflect all procedures performed. II II II II II II II II II II II II II
Any uncertainty as to what procedures were performed during the radical operation must
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be clarified with the responsible consultant in order to ensure correct code assignment.
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What sequencing rules must be applied when a resection and reconstruction of an organ
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or site has been performed during the same theatre visit? [2 Marks] - Correct Answers
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Where resection and reconstruction have been performed the codes that classify the
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resection must be assigned before the codes that classify the reconstruction.
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What is being described when codes from OPCS-4.7 category V55 Levels of spine are
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assigned? [1 Mark] - Correct Answers The number of levels being operated on.
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