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Can we make it so that the same icd-9 code can be used for multiple different wordings? i do sports medicine and there aer the same icd codes that we use for things like piriformis syndrome...u have ot use the low back pain one but you can't assign 724.9 to both of those.

I believe you can. Simply click the "Search Dx" button in the patient encounter. Pull up the code and click the edit button. I don't think it stops you from giving multiple codes the same description.

Unfortunately, it can't be done. It will not allow you to give two diagnoses the same ICD-9 code. You used to be able to do that. I find it ridiculous as it certainly helps when you are looking for the same diagnoses, but in different formats such as:

Varicella/Chickenpox
Fifth's Disease/Erythema infectiosum
Hand, Foot and Mouth/Coxsackie virus

Even things like:

Otitis media, acute
Acute otitis media

But, you can't edit and add it, you can only edit it. So, if you have

Otitis media 382.00 and edit it to

Acute otitis media 382.00, then that is what you have. You can't have both.

But you CAN edit it to read "Varicella/Chickenpox" or "Pyriformis/low back pain" and a search that includes any of the terms will find it.

True, good idea. But, I don't want my diagnosis to read Varicella/Chickenpox. In version 3 and before, you could edit to your heart's content. Which only makes sense.

I did it before I posted, and I just did it again. I believe it can be done.

On the other hand you can put in the ICD 9 and then just retype the actual term like:

# ACUTE NONSUPPURATIVE OTITIS MEDIA UNSPECIFIED (381.00):

changed to

# BOOBOO of the EAR (381.00):

That will change it on that progress note, but not in the system.

Maybe that is what I am doing....

If you are doing it in a progress note and not using the ADMIN password this is what you are doing. This works great for in notes, but whatever the standard one saved in the database will show up on orders, etc - I find this when I want to put ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION instead of IMPOTENCE. I think it is ironic that we all try to use terms like ED and ICD-9 is still putting impotence.......I probably should just edit it in the main ICD 9 codes but I have just left them the way they come.

Maybe we are all talking about different things. Maybe it is one way in admin and another way in the note. I just know that so far I am unable to bring up the ICD-9 code box in the note and have these choices at the same time.

Earache 33333
Otitis media 33333
Acute otitis media 33333

I suppose I will do some .avis and post them on the web and everyone can download them and vice versa. That will make it possible to see what we are all talking about. I definitely don't know what Steve is talking about.

I miss the old orders. I just typed everything in.

I mean that you can choose and ICD 9 and diagnosis in a chart and it will show under assessment - then you can go into assessment and just retype the words. Will only show that way in that note and will put the original ICD 9 words in any orders, summary sheet, etc. This makes it ineffective except the chart note for that date will have the new wording.

Steve, Luv ya guy, but do you actually expect me to use ICD-9 by selection and then GO BACK IN and type it again.

No --- just showing the only way you can put in that change. I have done this and even left off the dianosis on orders and put it in comment for patients who I think will be stressed about the IMPOTENCE, ORGANIC on the page when they go to get labs.....

I actually wish they could just put the diagnosis code without the words.

Well, that's where you edit. But, anyway, maybe Benjamin Serrato came up with a solution for you in a thread with the surgeon a while back.

To whomever put in here that you can write low back pain/piriformis syndrome . .. then you can't search it by piriformis syndrome. You have to type in low. . .

another example foot pain and ankle pain is one icd 9. . .it is ridiculaous that i have to save it a s foot/ankle pain, always search by foot and then edit it by deleting the part of it that i don't want showing up in the assessment section of my note.

any reason that it cant' be back to the way it was on version 3? WHere i could assign the same code to three different things?