Author Question: When a patient is admitted to an observation unit for a medical condition that either worsens or ... (Read 67 times)

go.lag · **on:** Jun 27, 2018

When a patient is admitted to an observation unit for a medical condition that either worsens or does not improve and is subsequently admitted as an inpatient to the same hospital for this same medical condition, the principal diagnosis is the __________.
a. comorbidity that was documented by the attending physician
b. diagnosis that is qualified by words such as possible or probable
c. medical condition that led to the hospital inpatient admission
d. procedure or surgery performed in the hospital observation unit

Question 2

If the principal diagnosis documented at the time of discharge is qualified with words such as probable, suspected, likely, questionable, possible, or still to be ruled out, code the __________.
a. diagnosis as if it existed or was established
b. initial therapeutic approach that corresponds to the diagnosis
c. observation care provided to the hospital inpatient
d. signs or symptoms only, and do not code the qualified diagnosis