Home Forums Discussions General Discussion The Saddest ICD-9 Code

# VOMITING ALONE (787.0)

(Can you think of anything sadder?)

Not unless it was caused by exposure to ionizing radiation from a nuclear weapon (E979.5), but then again--who would be around to code that out??

Brian, that's funny, mainly because I have found myself coding that. But, only after a very detailed history which showed that the patient was, indeed, alone. Otherwise, it would be vomiting in a crowd or with company (787.01 and 787.02, respectively).

I went through the ICD-9 code list once, and there are some rather funny ones. Such as "Fall from an airplane or fall without a chute." Like the patient is going to walk in the next day with the chief complaint of falling 22,000 feet.

There are some good ones (all under falls) about falling from a train, etc. But, they are funny because there are two codes, one for falling from a train, employee and the other for falling from a train, passenger. Must be something to do with Workman's comp.

But, my all time favorites is the code, "Fall in other hole." There isn't a fall in hole. Just other hole. How would you know if it were "another" hole. I have tried to use that one though. Only once has someone fallin in "A" hole. I highlighted the chart in case they fall into "another" hole.

This is entertaining. I believe Bert had mentioned about falling into the other hole before. This got me to thinking. I believe the term other is used to reflect taht the patient did not fall into hole specified in description that is listed. It should have said "Fell into hole other than what has been specified above."
My favorite is "Legal execution." Unfortunately, it is note further specified by method.

We used that code yesterday for a referral for a new patient! Really!

Vomiting alone from exposure to virus that causes hemorrhagic fever is also pretty sad.

That fall in another hole thing is pretty funny.

Hey, ever have a patient tell you or your staff that their (your staff's) answer to the question asked was just something they made up. As in "What is yellow fever?" "Its a virus that can cause a hemorrhagic fever...." "There's no such thing as hemorraghic fever."

Girl is going to Kenya w/o vaccinations to YF or typhoid. "I'm staying w/ rich people." I didn't know that mosquitoes in 3rd world countries discriminated, but hey maybe I missed it.

Folks,
ya know someone could "fall" out of a plane that was parked, was simple in motion on the tarmack or just a few feet off the ground, and therefore the patient could be more than able to walk in to report it personally.

As for the other hole, perhaps that is in reference to either a blackhole or some form of another demension, but then how could any of you be able to be seeing them for the visit. A blackhole should compact you to a size less than a pea.

Does vomiting really require a witness? If someone vomits in the woods and nobody else hears or sees did that person really vomit kind of a thing? Very strange.

That's deep, Paul!

Is there a code for falling into a philosophical chasm?

However, there is something worse than falling into philosophical chasm. That's drowing in cowCChit.

E913.3 Accidental mechanical suffocation by falling earth or substance
(that is "organic substance from male bovine").

Okay gang. Here's one for the holidays. Open your ICD-9 book to the index and look at the third entry under "No". Someone at the ICD-9 factory was having a very slow day.

Gang,
Here we all are making jokes about the extent that these stupid ICD-9 codes go to, but if you really want to talk about drowning in CCHIT, Nancy just asked me this afternoon if I had heard anything about ICD-10 recently!!! HEELLLLLP!!!!! This CCHIT is getting out of hand. You guys will never finish charting just trying to get to the end of the most appropriate stupid Dx code. No less it will just give the carriers even more ammo to use, to try and deny you claims.... "round and round she goes, where she stops nobody knows".

Watch it, pal! Coding is my life, let alone my bread and butter!
If they make it easier for providers what will all of us old biller/codes do with all this tedious information stored up in our cranky old brains?? There's no home for professional coders you know! "Welcome to Walmart, would you like a cart??"

Dave:

I'm missing it! Mine says "Norwalk Virus" or something!

Let me in on the joke!

See Brian, just another reason you need a professional coder! It's "No room at the inn". Sad but seasonal! (What kind of book are you using??)

But Donna just think of those wonderful health insurance benefits you'll get with your new greeters job at the big blue box? Danm, that's it, I'm out of here and off to WalMart to get a real job in a vital industry my country really depends upon!

Do you remember the old Twilight Zone with Bergus Merideth as the Librarian the was "Obsolete"??? I would like nothing better for doctors and patients than to make PM's like you and me obsolete, because if we were both obsolete then half the CCHIT in healthcare must have changed for the better....

Book! That explains it!

(I remember those things)

I was looking in the AC index.

Paul, Okay, but who's gonna spring for my orthopedic shoes and snappy support hose that I'll need standing all day?? As far as benefits, I think I'm better off with the Golden Bear credit card (Medi-Cal)!!

Brian, Don't be silly!!

1,000 points to you, Donna!

Drew Carey

"No room at the inn" V65.0

This proves that the ICD-9 diagnostic codes were used during biblical times.

I'm still looking for a specific V-code for "Legal execution, by crucifixtion", "Miracle, by separation of a body of water.", "Alchemy, conversion of water to wine".

You're looking in the wrong book, Roy!

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf

Not really apropos to the discussion, but I thought I would post it here since everyone here is so witty!

This is a really fun game. I bring it up and play while my patients answer their cell phones. My best so far is 318.4 feet. Tip: You want a tragectory of about 30 degrees so the penguin bounces and slides on his belly as fas as possible.

I guess their could be an ICD-9 code for it:

Hit by a Yeti while jumping from a precipice at the north pole. (Or do they live at the South Pole?)

Please try not to beat my longest shot by too much. I'm rather proud of it, and this is my only hobby.

Thank you all very much! I had the best laughs of the week today reading this thread. Maybe you all could wiggle your way into the hearts of Leno or Letterman during the writer's strike.
Too funny! But I wonder, is any of this ICD-9 discussion breaking the AC EULA covenant that the AMA's codes will not be discussed over the Internet?

Leslie who is still laughing

Now THAT is funny, Leslie. I suppose we should just consider these boards are own little INTRAnet.

Obviously, 'their' should be 'there.' Sorry.

I think we are safe.
If I'm not mistaken, the AMA owns the CPT code. I don't think they own the ICD codes. However, you are right. We cannot discuss information regarding ICD-9 codes per EULA-- without this disclaimer.

"THE DISCUSSION OF THE ICD-9 CODES DID NOT ORIGINATE FROM KNOWLEDGE DERIVED FROM USE OF AMAZINGCHARTS. ANOTHER RESOURCE WAS USED TO DISCOVER THESE CODES. ANY RESEMBLENCE TO ICD-9 CODES TO THAT WHICH IS WITHIN THE AMAZINGCHARTS PROGRAM IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. NO DERIVATIVES OF AMAZINGCHARTS WERE USED AND NO LIVING BEINGS WERE HARMED KNOWINGLY IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS/THESE THREAD."

Leslie,
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Can you suggest new language on the EULA to decriminalize discussion of ICD-9 codes, Amazingcharts and CPT codes on these boards.
The community EULA, ripe for editing: http://www.amazingcharts.com/wiki/index.php?title=Suggested_EULA_edits

Yea, but my language would be "Do whatever the Hell you want with the codes...they are stupid and useless anyway and just another means for the insurance companies and government to interfere with the caring of my patients."


Leslie