Find information on documenting a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) for accurate medical coding and healthcare claims. Learn about clinical documentation improvement (CDI) best practices for TBI, including Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores, post-concussion syndrome (PCS) diagnosis, and long-term sequelae of TBI. This resource covers ICD-10 codes related to traumatic brain injury history, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and severe TBI for optimal clinical documentation integrity and reimbursement. Explore the importance of comprehensive TBI history documentation in healthcare settings.
Also known as
Intracranial injury
Covers traumatic brain injuries like concussions and skull fractures.
Injuries to the head
Includes injuries to the scalp, skull, and brain.
Personality and behavioral disorders due to brain disease, damage and dysfunction
Includes long-term cognitive and behavioral changes after brain injury.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the TBI current or acute?
Yes
Do NOT code history of TBI. Code the acute/current TBI (e.g., S06.X).
No
Any residual effects documented?
When to use each related code
Description |
---|
History of TBI |
Postconcussion syndrome |
Cognitive comm. disorder |
Coding TBI without specifying type (concussion, contusion etc.) leads to inaccurate severity and payment.
Failing to code late effects of TBI (e.g., cognitive deficits) impacts quality reporting and reimbursement.
Insufficient documentation of TBI details (e.g., date of injury, sequelae) increases audit risk and claim denials.
Patient presents with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The initial injury occurred on [Date of Injury] and was characterized as [Severity of TBI: mild, moderate, severe] based on [Glasgow Coma Scale score at time of injury, duration of loss of consciousness, post-traumatic amnesia duration]. The mechanism of injury was [Mechanism of injury, e.g., motor vehicle accident, fall, sports injury, blast injury]. Current symptoms include [List current symptoms, e.g., headaches, dizziness, cognitive impairment, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, emotional lability, sleep disturbances, sensory changes]. Neurological examination reveals [Specific neurological findings, e.g., normal cranial nerves, intact motor strength, mild gait instability]. Patient reports a history of [Prior treatment for TBI, e.g., hospitalization, rehabilitation, medications]. Current medications include [List current medications]. Assessment suggests post-concussion syndrome related to the prior TBI. Plan includes [Treatment plan, e.g., referral to neuropsychology for cognitive evaluation, occupational therapy for functional assessment, medication management for symptom control, patient education regarding TBI management]. Differential diagnoses considered include [List differential diagnoses, e.g., migraine, anxiety disorder, depression]. ICD-10 code: S06.9 (Unspecified traumatic brain injury). Further evaluation and management will be based on patient response to treatment and ongoing symptom presentation. Prognosis is dependent on the severity of the initial injury and the presence of persistent symptoms. Continued monitoring for neurological deficits is warranted.