By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    pfizer and clinical data transparency
    Pfizer to Expand Clinical Trial Data Access, Takes Step Toward Transparency
    December 6, 2013
    Improving Healthcare Services And Management Through Tech Integration
    June 9, 2020
    obamacare and the uninsured
    Why Hospitals Are Still Gouging the Uninsured
    January 7, 2014
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Top Differences Between ICD-9-CM & ICD-10-CM
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Top Differences Between ICD-9-CM & ICD-10-CM
eHealth

Top Differences Between ICD-9-CM & ICD-10-CM

Andy Salmen
Andy Salmen
Share
5 Min Read
ICD 9 and 10
SHARE

ICD 9 and 10With the upcoming switch to ICD-10, major changes are being made to the way things are being done.  To help smooth out the transition, here are the most important differences between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM that you need to know.

Specific Information

ICD 9 and 10With the upcoming switch to ICD-10, major changes are being made to the way things are being done.  To help smooth out the transition, here are the most important differences between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM that you need to know.

Specific Information

More Read

TEDMED Joseph Kvedar, MD Healthin30
Part 3 – TEDMED Great Challenges: Improving Medical Communication
Address Workplace Stress with Help from a Digital Coaching Program
7 More Simple Secrets to Engagement, Action and Sharing
Accessible Home Health Care: A Major Opportunity In 2015
2012 Best Apps for Boomers

ICD-9 has been plagued by a lack of specifics, such as similar injuries on opposite limbs having the same code.  This reduces effectiveness and has caused confusion on many different levels.  ICD-10 will offer a greater degree of specific information in areas such as right versus left, initial or subsequent encounter, and other relevant clinical information.  The greater degree of specific information is utilized with a number of different methods, many of which are covered below.

Number of Codes

As part of the effort to provide more information, ICD-10 will have roughly 68,000 available codes (with flexibility for adding new ones) in comparison to ICD-9’s 13,000 codes and limited space for additions. Codes may be somewhat different than before, so coders will need to understand how to effectively search for codes under the new system.

Length of Code

ICD-10 uses codes that are longer (in some cases) than those of ICD-9, following a basic structure.

  • Digits 1-3 will now refer to the category 
  • Digit 1 is always alphabetic
  • Digits 2-3 are always numeric
  • Digits 4-6 will cover clinical details such as severity, etiology, and anatomic site (among others), and are either alphabetic or numeric
  • Digit 7 will serve as an extension when necessary, and will be either alphabetic or numeric

Combination Codes

ICD-10 supports further use of combination codes that can be used to classify such things as multiple diagnoses or a diagnosis with a complication.  These are expressed as single codes, reducing the number of codes that need to be made while still providing information that is as specific as possible.

Use of Alphabetic Codes

ICD-9 only permitted numeric codes.  In contrast, ICD-10 will make significant use of alphabet codes as part of its work to be more specific.  The characters will not be case sensitive, and both alphabetic and numeric codes are intended to retain identical meanings as much as possible throughout code sets and procedure sections.

The additional characters allow for information such as listing the body system, root operation, body part, approach, device, and any necessary qualifier all within one code for a surgical procedure.  Use of this may vary somewhat by section.

Relevance to Modern Technology

ICD-9 is widely considered to be based on outdated technology, with codes unable to reflect the use of new equipment.  ICD-10 offers far more integration with modern technology, with an emphasis on devices that are actually being used for various procedures. The additional spaces available are partly designed to allow for new technology to be seamlessly integrated into codes, which means fewer concerns about the ability to accurately report information as time goes on.

In Conclusion

ICD-10 is not a simple update to ICD-9.  The structural changes throughout the entire coding system are very significant, and the increased level of complexity requires coders to be even more thoroughly trained than before.  However, it is possible to prepare for the changes by remembering a few simple guidelines:

  • Train early- The more familiar your staff are with ICD-10, the better. While currently scheduled to begin Oct. 1, 2014, beginning the training now is not a bad idea.
  • Understand the ICD-10- The structural changes require a change in the way people think about coding, and understanding it will help to break current coding habits.  Medical professionals used to reporting things a certain way so they can be coded may need to change what they say in order to work well with the new system.
  • Ask for help- If there is something you or your staff need help with or do not understand, ask for help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TAGGED:HITICD-10ICD-9
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

telemedicine
BusinesseHealthTechnology

5 Fun Healthcare Tools to Help Build Patient Relationships

March 11, 2014
Health careMedical InnovationsMobile Health

Patient Engagement Helps Healthcare Systems And Patient Outcomes

June 26, 2019
eHealthHealth careMedical InnovationsTechnology

What Does Telemedicine Mean for the Future of Affordable Healthcare?

January 10, 2018

Person-Centered HealthCare: How mHealth Technologies Are Benefiting Patients

May 10, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?