Final answer:
ICD-10-CM provides a more specific and detailed classification system than ICD-9-CM, with updated medical classifications and greater code granularity for better data capture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) enhances the ICD-9-CM by offering more granularity and updated medical classification to reflect advances in medical knowledge. With more than 68,000 codes, ICD-10-CM has an increased focus on specificity, including laterality and severity, which allows for a more precise description of a patient's condition. Additionally, the coding structure is more robust, accommodating future expansions and healthcare needs.
The updated system supports better data capture and analytics for quality improvement and healthcare delivery performance. ICD codes are also vital for administration processes, including ordering laboratory tests, recording causes of death on death certificates, and processing insurance claims. Two common locations where one would likely find an ICD code are within medical records at healthcare facilities and on death certificates held by vital-record keepers.