Question

The main rule to remember of the ICD coding rules, which says that the reason for the patient visit (encounter) is coded first is known as the:

Select one:
a. reason rule
b. classification rule
c. supporting rule
d. indexing rule

Answer 1

The main rule of ICD coding rules is the reason rule, which states that the reason for the patient's visit or encounter is coded first.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main rule to remember of the ICD coding rules is known as the reason rule. According to this rule, the reason for the patient's visit or encounter is coded first. This means that when assigning ICD codes, the primary focus is on identifying the main reason for the patient's visit or the primary diagnosis.

An example would be when a patient seeks treatment for a viral infection. The ICD code assigned would reflect the viral infection as the main reason for the visit. Subsequently, the ICD code would be used by various healthcare professionals and systems for different purposes such as ordering laboratory tests, prescribing treatments, processing claims, and recording cause of death on death certificates.