The problem is that ICD 9 or the new ICD 10 codes are LAME -- unfortunately we have to use it to get paid. I hate putting in lumbago when I really want back pain, but that is what works - numbness in the feet is "change in sensation". Unfortunately particularly in adult medicine the push is to more and more statistics and disease management which will require us to be able to search for all pt. with diagnosis XXX.XX and pull them up and that is why most of us have to use the ICD 9 in the chart. Occasionally I can't figure it out and when I just write it in my coder gives me the right code later.
