The ICD-10-CM is primarily made up of which type of codes?

The ICD-10-CM, or the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification, is primarily composed of diagnosis codes. These codes are utilized to classify and code diagnoses, symptoms, and procedures related to healthcare. The primary purpose of ICD-10-CM is to provide a standardized system that allows for accurate and consistent identification of medical conditions during patient care, billing, and epidemiological studies.

Diagnosis codes are essential for healthcare providers to document patient conditions, which, in turn, informs treatment decisions, insurance claims, and public health data collection. They allow for detailed descriptions of a patient's health status and support clinical decision-making.

In contrast, procedure codes, such as those found in the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) or the ICD-10-PCS codes, are used for documenting medical procedures performed rather than diagnoses. Outcome codes are typically associated with the results of treatment or health status following care, and billing codes encompass a broader category that includes both diagnosis and procedure codes to facilitate claims processing. Ultimately, the clear distinction of ICD-10-CM as a diagnosis coding system is critical for successful healthcare administration and clinical practice.