Final answer:
It is true that when a definitive diagnosis has not been made, codes describing symptoms and signs can be used in ICD coding. These codes assist healthcare professionals in treating patients and facilitate the processes of healthcare management, insurance billing, and epidemiological statistics.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that codes which describe symptoms and signs are acceptable for coding when a definitive diagnosis has not been established in a physician's office. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes are often used when a specific diagnosis cannot be made, but the patient presents with a constellation of symptoms. Medical professionals can use these codes to represent these symptoms and signs, facilitating the ordering of appropriate laboratory tests, prescribing treatments, and processing of insurance claims.
For example, when a patient presents with a symptom like nausea, which cannot be clinically confirmed or objectively measured, the physician may use the ICD code for nausea in the absence of a more definitive diagnosis. This helps in maintaining a standardized system of coding in healthcare for various medical services, including epidemiology, where ICD codes assist in calculating morbidity and mortality statistics.