What is ICD-10?
ICD-10 is a diagnostic coding system implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1993 to replace ICD-9, which was developed by WHO in the 1970s. ICD-10 is in almost every country in the world, except the United States. When we hear “ICD-10” in the United States, it usually refers to the U.S. clinical modification of ICD-10: ICD-10-CM. This code set is scheduled to replace ICD-9-CM, our current U.S. diagnostic code set, on Oct. 1, 2013. Another designation, ICD-10-PCS, for “procedural coding system,” is will also be adopted in the United States. ICD-10-PCS will replace Volume 3 of ICD-9-CM as the inpatient procedural coding system. Current plans would see CPT remain the coding system for physician services. More information on WHO’s ICD-10 code set can be found at http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/.
