Final answer:
In ICD-10-CM, 'conventions' (option D) are typographic techniques that offer guidance for coders in selecting accurate codes, including visual cues like bolding and italics. Conversely, a 'heuristic' is a mental shortcut used for problem-solving by providing a simplified approach.
Step-by-step explanation:
The typographic techniques that provide visual guidance for understanding information and that help coders to understand rules and select the right code in ICD-10-CM are known as conventions. Conventions in ICD-10-CM serve as standardized rules or practices that assist in the consistent classification and coding of diagnoses.
They include a range of typographic cues such as bolding, italics, and underlining, which help to differentiate between various coding guidelines and instructions. For example, a call-out box or an information symbol in the margin may be used to highlight supplemental content, whereas a caution symbol warns the reader to consider the context more carefully.
As for a mental shortcut in problem-solving, the correct term is heuristic. A heuristic is a general problem-solving framework that provides a simplified approach to solving complex problems more quickly when an exhaustive search is impractical.