Final answer:
When coding for a patient admitted for an HIV-related condition, the primary diagnosis code should be for the HIV condition itself. The symptom or condition caused by HIV would be coded as secondary diagnoses.
Step-by-step explanation:
When coding for a patient admitted for an HIV-related condition, the primary diagnosis code should be for the HIV condition itself. This is because the HIV infection is the underlying cause of the other conditions that may be present. The symptom or condition caused by HIV would be coded as secondary diagnoses.
For example, if a patient is admitted for dehydration related to HIV, the primary diagnosis code would be for HIV (such as B20, the ICD-10 code for HIV disease). Dehydration would be coded as a secondary diagnosis (such as E86.0, the ICD-10 code for dehydration).
It's important to note that in medical coding, the primary diagnosis is the main reason for the patient's encounter with healthcare services. Secondary diagnoses provide additional information about other conditions present.