Question

A type of code used by an occupational therapy practitioner to describe the type of services provided by an occupational therapy practitioner, physical therapy practitioner, a physician, or other health care provider would best be called a(n):

Option 1:
A) Procedural code

Option 2:
B) Diagnostic code

Option 3:
C) Evaluation code

Option 4:
D) Treatment code

Answer 1

A code used to describe the services provided by healthcare professionals such as occupational therapy and physical therapy practitioners is called a Procedural code. It is distinct from a Diagnostic code like those in the ICD system, which documents patient diagnoses and justifies the relevant services billed.

Step-by-step explanation:

The type of code used by an occupational therapy practitioner, physical therapy practitioner, a physician, or other healthcare provider to describe the type of services provided is best called a Procedural code. Procedural codes are used to identify specific health interventions taken by medical professionals. For instance, when treating a patient, these codes help in categorizing and specifying the exact actions such as examinations, treatments, and surgeries. In contrast, Diagnostic codes, like those from the ICD system, are typically used to document the patient's diagnoses and are frequently used to justify the services billed with procedural codes.

Two locations where you would likely find an ICD code include medical laboratories and a health care management system. Medical laboratories utilize ICD codes to identify the necessary tests to confirm a diagnosis, while a healthcare management system uses these codes to ensure that the treatments and laboratory work are appropriate for the associated diagnosis.