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Diagnosis Coding: Using the ICD-10-CM

More Coding Conventions

More coding conventions include:

  • And: Interpret to mean “and” or “or” when it appears in a code title.
  • Includes Notes: This appears immediately under a 3-character code title to further define, clarify, or give examples of the content of a code category.
  • Inclusion Terms: This is a list of terms included under certain codes to show conditions that might apply to the code. The inclusion terms aren’t necessarily exhaustive.
  • Excludes Notes: The ICD-10-CM has 2 kinds of excludes notes. Each kind of note has a different definition for use, but they each show that codes excluded from each other are independent of each other.
  • Etiology/manifestation convention (code first, use additional code and in diseases classified elsewhere notes): Some conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. For these conditions, the ICD-10-CM has a coding convention that requires sequencing the underlying condition first, followed by the manifestation. Wherever this combination exists, there’s a use additional code note at the etiology code and a code first note at the manifestation code. These instructional notes show the correct sequencing order of the codes, etiology followed by manifestation.