I have edited my ICD-9 code to fit my needs. I edit out words like "unspecified" and put diagnosis in the order I search "bronchitis, acute" (rather than "acute bronchitis"). I have taken out stupid codes like "Legal execution--suffocation from paperwork" and took out all the codes except for one for tuberculosis (there's 1,000's in there). Heck, there's only a need for 1,400 ICD-9 codes in my universe. I add on descriptions I use "dysesthesia or paresthesia" which the ICD cumbersomely puts as something like "Disturbance to skin sensation." The utility of the ICD codes are due to the hard work I have put in to modifying it into something usable-- the ICD-9 codes themselves are useful for sending out laboratory requisition, L&I forms that require ICD-9 codes and for billing.
I don't ever want to see my hard work editing overwritten by a default database.
BTW: Bert, I kept the code "fall into other hole", because I have this irrational fear of falling into the other hole-- If I accidentally do fall into this "other" hole, I'll just add a ICD9 code for "Fell into first hole" and attach a non-specific ICD9 code to that.
I also suspect that the "Fall into other hole" was created by the author of "Winnie-the-Pooh". Remember Piglet and Pooh falling into this "other hole" in the forest? And this occurred while under Rabbit's direction to search for his relative, Small. Now, I didn't see in the book that Rabbit had actually paid Pooh and Piglet a wage to search for Small, but I suppose he did. That would make it an L&I case, thereby necessitating this diagnosis code.
"Just my thought, if anybody cares." --Eeyore.
