ICD-10 Guide

A02.23

Salmonella arthritis

BILLABLE STATUSYes

IMPLEMENTATION DATEOctober 1, 2015

LAST UPDATED09/04/2025

Code Description

ICD-10 A02.23 is a billable code used to indicate a diagnosis of salmonella arthritis.

Key Diagnostic Point:

Salmonella arthritis

Code Complexity Analysis

Complexity Rating: Medium

Medium Complexity

Complexity Factors

# Analysis of ICD-10 Code A02.23 - Salmonella Arthritis ## Complexity Rating: Medium ### Factors Contributing to Complexity 1. **Specificity of Diagnosis**: - Salmonella arthritis is a specific type of arthritis caused by Salmonella bacteria, which can arise as a complication of salmonellosis. Clinicians must ensure accurate documentation that links the arthritis to the underlying infection. 2. **Multiple Potential Causes**: - The presence of arthritis can be due to various infectious agents, and differentiating Salmonella arthritis from other types (such as rheumatoid arthritis or arthritis due to other infections) requires careful clinical evaluation and documentation. 3. **Associated Co-morbidities**: - Patients with Salmonella infections may have other underlying conditions (e.g., immunocompromised status) that complicate the clinical picture and necessitate detailed documentation of all contributing factors. 4. **Evolving Clinical Presentation**: - The symptoms and severity of Salmonella arthritis can vary widely among patients, which may require adjustments in coding during the course of treatment. 5. **Potential for Complications**: - Salmonella arthritis can lead to more severe complications if not treated appropriately, such as systemic infection or septic arthritis, necessitating careful monitoring and documentation of the patient’s clinical status. ### Audit Risks and Considerations 1. **Inadequate Documentation**: - Auditors may flag cases where documentation does not clearly establish the relationship between Salmonella infection and the development of arthritis, leading to potential downgrading of the diagnosis or misclassification. 2. **Misdiagnosis**: - There is a risk of misdiagnosing arthritis as a non-infectious condition if appropriate tests and clinical evaluation are not conducted, which can lead to incorrect coding and billing issues. 3. **Clinical Guidelines Compliance**: - Ensuring adherence to clinical guidelines regarding the treatment and management of Salmonella infections is crucial. Documentation must reflect compliance to avoid audit discrepancies. 4. **Impact of Co-morbidities**: - The presence of co-morbid conditions may complicate coding. All relevant conditions must be documented to support the complexity of the case and justify the use of the A02.23 code. ### Documentation Requirements 1. **Confirmation of Diagnosis**: - Clear documentation confirming the diagnosis of Salmonella arthritis, including laboratory findings (positive culture or serology for Salmonella) and clinical symptoms. 2. **History of Salmonella Infection**: - A documented history of Salmonella infection, including the type of infection (e.g., gastrointestinal) and treatment received, is essential to substantiate the link to the arthritis diagnosis. 3. **Clinical Assessment**: - Detailed clinical assessments, including signs and symptoms of arthritis (e.g., joint swelling, pain, mobility limitations), should be documented. 4. **Treatment Plan**: - Documentation of the treatment plan, including medications (e.g., antibiotics, anti-inflammatories) and any referrals to specialists, is necessary to demonstrate the medical necessity of the diagnosis. 5. **Follow-up and Outcomes**: - Follow-up notes that document response to treatment, any changes in clinical condition, and ongoing management are critical for comprehensive coding and to support the complexity of the case. In summary, while the complexity of coding for Salmonella arthritis (ICD-10 code A02.23) is rated as medium due to the need for specific and detailed documentation, careful adherence to clinical guidelines and thorough documentation practices can mitigate audit risks and support accurate coding.

Audit Risk Factors

Specialty Focus

Medical Specialties

General

Documentation Requirements

Standard requirements apply

Common Clinical Scenarios

Various clinical presentations

Billing Considerations

Follow standard billing guidelines

Coding Guidelines

Inclusion Criteria

Use A02.23 When

Comprehensive Coding Guidelines for ICD
10 Code A02
Salmonella Arthritis
Overview
10 code A02
23 is used to classify arthritis caused by Salmonella species
This condition can occur as a result of a Salmonella infection, which may manifest primarily in the gastrointestinal tract but can lead to other systemic complications, including arthritis
When to Use A02

Exclusion Criteria

Do NOT use A02.23 When

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Exclusions:

Related CPT Codes

No CPT Codes Available

Related CPT codes for this diagnosis will be displayed here when available.

ICD-10 Impact

Diagnostic & Documentation Impact

Enhanced Specificity

ICD-10 Improvements

Changes from ICD-9 to ICD-10

- In ICD-9, Salmonella arthritis was generally coded as 003.0, which provided limited detail regarding the condition.

ICD-9 vs ICD-10

The implementation of ICD-10 in October 2015 marked a significant transition in the coding of diseases and conditions, including Salmonella arthritis, coded as A02.23 in ICD-10. Below is a detailed examination of the impact of this change, encompassing various aspects such as changes from ICD-9 to ICD-10, specificity improvements, reimbursement implications, documentation requirement changes, and provider workflow impacts. Changes from ICD-9 to ICD-10 1. Code Structure: - In ICD-9, Salmonella arthritis was generally coded as 003.0, which provided limited detail regarding the condition. - The transition to ICD-10 introduced A02.23, which is more detailed and specific, allowing for a better categorization of the condition. 2. Granularity: - ICD-10 offers a more granular code set that can specify the type of Salmonella infection and its complications, compared to the broader categories used in ICD-9. Specificity Improvements 1. Detailed Classification: - A02.23 distinguishes Salmonella arthritis specifically, allowing for differentiation from other types...

Reimbursement & Billing Impact

reimbursement implications, documentation requirement changes, and provider workflow impacts.

A02.23

Code Description

Key Diagnostic Point:

Code Complexity Analysis

Complexity Rating: Medium

Complexity Factors

Audit Risk Factors

Specialty Focus

Medical Specialties

General

Documentation Requirements

Common Clinical Scenarios

Billing Considerations

Coding Guidelines

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Related CPT Codes

No CPT Codes Available

ICD-10 Impact

Diagnostic & Documentation Impact

ICD-10 Improvements

ICD-9 vs ICD-10

Reimbursement & Billing Impact

Resources

Clinical References

Coding & Billing References

Frequently Asked Questions

A02.23

Code Description

Key Diagnostic Point:

Code Complexity Analysis

Complexity Rating: Medium

Complexity Factors

Audit Risk Factors

Specialty Focus

Medical Specialties

General

Documentation Requirements

Common Clinical Scenarios

Billing Considerations

Coding Guidelines

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Related CPT Codes

No CPT Codes Available

ICD-10 Impact

Diagnostic & Documentation Impact

ICD-10 Improvements

ICD-9 vs ICD-10

Reimbursement & Billing Impact

Resources

Clinical References

Coding & Billing References

Frequently Asked Questions