The ICD-9 coding system could be traced back to the seventeenth century England. At this time, data was gathered in the London Bills of Mortality, where numerical codes could be derived. The most frequent causes of death were measured using this code. By the twentieth century, the causes of death were organized into an international list comprising of a few more countries (HIA Code, 2016). Later, the World Health Organization has used this list to further track causes of death in every part of the world. This paper summarizes the history of medical coding.
The ICD-9 comprised a list of diseases which were common causes of death, alongside other non-disease causes of death. However, the World Health Organization recently came up with the ICD-10 code. This code was now expanded to include injuries and clinical diagnoses apart from the previous cause of death aspect (Heinze, et al., 2001). The addition of this data meant that there was more basic data to healthcare provision. Medical records could now be indexed and it was easier to make medical reviews on cases.
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The most recent ICD-10 has a comprehensive list of 68,000 codes, which covers previous codes which were marked as others and non-specified under the ICD-9 system. The coding system means that physicians can be reimbursed for specific claims as opposed to general practice that was the case under the ICD-9. Without a proper coding system, it would be impossible to ensure patient privacy, especially in a world becoming more dependent on technology (Kaushal, Barker, & Bates, 2001). Preservation of this sensitive information, as part of the doctor’s duty, must take the forefront.
In conclusion, medical coding has developed in view of changing technological environment. With new coding systems, it is easier to reimburse medical practitioners, provide more accurate medical reporting and protect patient information.
References
Heinze, D. T., Morsch, M., Sheffer, R., Jimmink, M., Jennings, M., Morris, W., & Morsch, A. (2001). LifeCode: A deployed application for automated medical coding. Ai Magazine, 22(2) , 76.
HIA Code. (2016). A Brief History of Medical Coding . Retrieved from HIA Code: http://www.hiacode.com/2016/05/12/a-brief-history-of-medical-coding/
Kaushal, R., Barker, K. N., & Bates, D. W. (2001). How can information technology improve patient safety and reduce medication errors in children's health care? Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 155(9) , 1002-1007.
