Verbosity and circumstantial detail obscuring reason for contact
ICD-10 R46.7 is a billable code used to indicate a diagnosis of verbosity and circumstantial detail obscuring reason for contact.
R46.7 is used to classify instances where a patient presents with excessive verbosity or circumstantial detail that obscures the primary reason for their medical visit. This can manifest as lengthy narratives, tangential discussions, or excessive detail that distracts from the core symptoms or issues at hand. Clinically, this may occur in patients with anxiety disorders, certain personality disorders, or cognitive impairments. The challenge for healthcare providers is to extract relevant clinical information from the patient's narrative while ensuring that the patient's concerns are acknowledged. This code is particularly relevant in settings where time is limited, such as emergency departments or busy outpatient clinics, where clarity in communication is essential for effective diagnosis and treatment.
Documentation should clearly outline the patient's primary complaints and how verbosity impacted the clinical assessment.
Patients presenting with multiple complaints, where excessive detail obscures the main issue.
Internal medicine providers should be aware of the patient's history and context to better navigate verbose presentations.
Acute care documentation must capture the urgency of the situation while noting any verbosity that may delay care.
Patients in crisis situations who may provide excessive background information instead of focusing on immediate symptoms.
Emergency providers should prioritize rapid assessment and may need to document efforts to redirect the conversation.
When a patient presents with verbosity that complicates the visit.
Document the time spent and the impact of verbosity on the visit.
Internal medicine providers should note how verbosity affects the assessment.
Use R46.7 when a patient's excessive verbosity obscures the reason for their visit, and ensure that documentation supports this coding choice.
