Difficulties Coding Dermatological Disorders Using the ICD-10: The DIADERM Study

Abstract

Background and objectives: The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) has some shortcomings when it comes to coding certain dermatological disorders. To overcome these shortcomings, a compatible version of the ICD-10 specifically adapted to dermatology was produced in Spain in 1999. The recent DIADERM study recorded 10 999 dermatological diagnoses using a representative sample of dermatologists working at outpatient clinics in Spain. The aims of the current study were to identify diagnoses from the DIADERM study that could not be coded using the adapted ICD-10, determine why, and check if they could be coded using the draft ICD-11.

Material and methods: We included all dermatological diagnoses from the DIADERM study that could not be assigned a code from the adapted ICD-10. We then quantified and recorded all the diagnoses that could not be coded using either the adapted ICD-10 or the draft ICD-11.

Results: Of the 10 999 diagnoses analyzed, 41 had not been assigned a code. Of these, 19 were assigned an adapted ICD-10 code on reassessment. However, the adapted ICD-10 and the draft ICD-11 lacked specific codes for 22 and 17 diagnoses, respectively.

Conclusions: The adapted ICD-10 can be used to correctly code the vast majority of dermatological diagnoses seen in routine clinical practice. Nevertheless, the system does have some minor shortcomings when it comes to coding certain diseases, particularly newly discovered and emerging diseases. Some of these problems, however, were resolved with the new ICD-11. Based on our findings, we propose some modifications to the ICD-11.

Keywords: Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades; Clinical coding; Codificación clínica; Dermatology; Dermatología; International Classification of Diseases.