Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Coding
Synopsis
Author
Miss Vasantha Lakshmi Sunkari
Assistant Professor, Dept of Pharmacognosy, Avanthi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chittivalasa, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
Abstract
Medical coding systems have evolved from early disease classification attempts in the 17th century to today's sophisticated ICD-11 framework. The progression began with John Graunt's mortality data analysis and François Sauvages' systematic disease classification, leading to Dr. Jacques Bertillon's Classification of Causes of Death in 1893. WHO's adoption of ICD in 1948 marked a pivotal development, expanding from mortality to morbidity classification. The transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10-CM in 2015 brought significant changes, including expanded code sets, combination codes, and enhanced specificity. Medical coding serves as a universal healthcare language, facilitating communication, reimbursement, research, and public health surveillance. The field offers diverse career paths from entry-level positions to management roles, with the CPC certification serving as a key professional credential. The certification process involves rigorous examination of coding knowledge across multiple healthcare domains. Modern medical coding has become fundamental to healthcare delivery, supporting clinical documentation, revenue cycle management, quality assessment, and global health information exchange. The system continues to evolve with ICD-11, incorporating technological advancements and supporting precision medicine initiatives
Keywords: Disease Classification; Healthcare Documentation; Revenue Cycle Management; Clinical Coding Standards; Healthcare Communication
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