Summer Necessities: Sunscreen, Fireworks…and the right ICD-10 Codes

As summer hits its stride, barbecues, pool parties and fireworks displays are in full swing. Unfortunately, with all the fun comes an increased risk for injury, especially around the 4^th of July. As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, specialty practices may want to keep these somewhat unusual ICD-10 codes within easy reach to make sure practitioners correctly and completely document the conditions they see.

• G2- Activities, grilling and smoking food. Nothing says summer like a freshly grilled hot dog or hamburger. And yet, creating these culinary masterpieces can be risky. Burns on the skin, eye irritation due to smoke, and other injuries can result when cooking food, and providers may need this code to fully describe the problem.
• W39.XXXA- Discharge of fireworks. Fireworks are another must-have for summer fun, but without the proper safety, this activity could bring a celebratory night to an early close. While it’s helpful to have this code ready for any patient, men and young adults are much more likely to need it.
• L55.0- Sunburn. Although a lovely tan is enviable, without a good sunscreen, people run the risk for sunburn—and all-day gatherings and beach visits present prime opportunities for overexposure. Note that this code, along with L55.1 and L55.2, should be used in serious cases as they are associated with first, second and third degree burns due to the sun.
• L23.7- Contact with poison ivy. Family picnics and nature hikes can be enjoyable, but sometimes people bring home more than they bargained for. As dermatologists see cases of poison ivy, they should keep this code in mind.
• S05.11XA- Contusion of eyeball and orbital tissues, right eye, initial encounter. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hit in the eye. There are several codes that cover this kind of event, including ones that describe left eye injuries and subsequent harm.
• V91.07XA- Burn due to water skis on fire. And don’t forget this gem. As mentioned in our Top 10 most hilarious ICD-10 codes blog, we’re not sure how it’s even possible to set water skis on fire, but we imagine it would take quite the party.

For many people, summer activities are entertaining and relaxing. However, for providers who work on and around the holidays, it’s important to be prepared for when fun takes a turn for the worse. A well-designed electronic medical record (EMR) can help make code selection a snap. Whether it’s unusual codes that are used once or twice a year, or ones that are inherently part of your day-to-day practice, a comprehensive EMR can enable top coding performance—whatever the situation.