Understanding Grief Reaction diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment? Find information on clinical documentation, medical coding (ICD-10 Z63.4, DSM-5 V62.82), bereavement, and prolonged grief disorder for healthcare professionals. Learn about assessment, support resources, and best practices for managing grief in patients.
Also known as
Adjustment disorders
Includes grief reaction, prolonged grief disorder.
Problems related to unwanted pregnancy
May include grief related to pregnancy loss.
Counseling and surveillance for perinatal death
Addresses bereavement and grief support after perinatal loss.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the grief reaction uncomplicated?
Yes
Duration < 6 months?
No
Prolonged grief disorder?
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Grief after a significant loss. |
| Prolonged, intense grief impeding function. |
| Adjustment disorder with depressed mood. |
Using unspecified codes like F43.9 (Adjustment Disorder Unspecified) when a more specific grief reaction diagnosis is documented leads to inaccurate severity and resource allocation.
Miscoding grief as major depressive disorder (F32.x) or vice-versa due to overlapping symptoms can impact quality metrics and reimbursement.
Failing to code complicating factors associated with grief, such as prolonged grief disorder (F43.81) or bereavement complicated by other factors, may underrepresent patient complexity.
Patient presents with symptoms consistent with a grief reaction, secondary to [clearly documented loss - e.g., death of spouse, job loss, etc.]. The onset of symptoms began approximately [timeframe] ago. Patient reports [list of symptoms, e.g., sadness, tearfulness, insomnia, decreased appetite, difficulty concentrating, low energy, feelings of hopelessness, social withdrawal]. Symptoms are impacting the patient's [functional areas - e.g., occupational functioning, social relationships, daily activities]. Patient denies suicidal ideation or intent but expresses feelings of [e.g., emptiness, guilt, regret]. Mental status examination reveals [objective findings - e.g., affect is constricted, tearful at times, thought content preoccupied with loss, cognition intact]. The patient's presentation meets the criteria for uncomplicated bereavement, also known as grief reaction, as outlined in the DSM-5. Differential diagnoses considered include major depressive disorder, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, and persistent complex bereavement disorder. However, the current clinical picture aligns more closely with grief reaction given the [justification - e.g., time since loss, nature of symptoms, absence of significant functional impairment beyond the expected response to loss]. Treatment plan includes supportive therapy focused on grief counseling, coping skills development, and healthy grieving processes. Patient education provided regarding normal grief reactions, expected trajectory of bereavement, and available resources for grief support. Follow-up scheduled in [timeframe] to assess response to interventions and monitor symptom progression. ICD-10 code Z63.4 (Uncomplicated bereavement) is assigned. Prognosis is generally favorable with appropriate support and intervention.