Question

Which of the following 7th characters is appropriate to use on an injury code when a patient needs a medication adjustment after the acute encounter?

A. Initial encounter (A)
B. Subsequent encounter (D)
C. Sequela (S)
D. The 7th character is not selected by the coder

Answer 1

The appropriate 7th character to use on an injury code when a patient needs a medication adjustment after the acute encounter is Subsequent encounter (D).

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate 7th character to use on an injury code when a patient needs a medication adjustment after the acute encounter is Subsequent encounter (D).

The presence of the 7th character 'D' indicates that the patient is receiving active treatment for the injury, but the initial period of care after the acute encounter has ended.

For example, if a patient broke their arm and received initial treatment in the emergency room, but then needed a medication adjustment during a follow-up visit with their primary care physician, the injury code with the 7th character 'D' would be used.