Encephalopathy & AMS Coding in ICD-10-CM

Description

Encephalopathy, Altered Mental Status, Dementia, and Delirium Coding in ICD-10-CM is an online, self-paced course for inpatient, outpatient, and professional fee coders who assign diagnosis codes for complex neurological and cognitive conditions. This course focuses on distinguishing encephalopathy, altered mental status, dementia, and delirium based on clinical indicators and documentation. Coders will review ICD-10-CM guidelines, sequencing considerations, and real-world case scenarios to support accurate code selection. The course includes 1 AHIMA CEU and helps coders navigate these commonly confused diagnoses with greater clarity and consistency.

Included Lessons:

Introduction
Altered Mental Status
Coding Scenarios for Altered Mental States
Coding Information and Coding Clinics Pertaining to Altered Mental Status
Dementia
Clinical Indicators of Dementia
Coding Scenarios for Dementia
Delirium
Clinical Indicators of Delirium
Coding Scenarios for Delirium
Coding Information and Coding Clinics Pertaining to Delirium
Delirium Versus Encephalopathy
Encephalopathy
Types of Encephalopathy
Coding Scenarios For Encephalopathy
Coding Information and Coding Clinics Pertaining to Encephalopathy

Key Takeaways

Completing this course will empower participants with the knowledge and competencies necessary to excel in coding encephalopathy, altered mental status, dementia, and delirium, contributing to enhanced patient care and precise healthcare data reporting. Some key takeaways include:

Condition Differentiation: Coders will acquire the ability to distinguish between encephalopathy, altered mental status, dementia, and delirium through detailed examination of clinical indicators, ensuring precise code assignment.
ICD-10-CM Proficiency: The course will provide coders with a strong command of ICD-10-CM coding for complex conditions, enabling them to accurately document patient diagnoses in medical records.
Documentation Evaluation: Participants will learn to evaluate clinical documentation effectively, extracting critical details such as specific symptoms, causative factors, and associated comorbidities for coding purposes.
Coding Guidelines Mastery: Coders will become adept at navigating and applying the coding guidelines and conventions pertinent to these diagnoses, ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Practical Application Skills: Through hands-on coding scenarios and practical exercises, students will gain practical experience in coding real-world cases, enhancing their ability to apply their knowledge in clinical settings.
Distinguishing Between Conditions: The course will emphasize the importance of distinguishing between altered mental status, dementia, delirium, and similar conditions to facilitate accurate code selection based on clinical presentations.
Assessing Severity and Behavioral Disturbance: Coders will learn to assess the severity of conditions like dementia and determine the presence of behavioral disturbances, enhancing the accuracy of code assignment.
Documentation Improvement Focus: Participants will understand the significance of clear and comprehensive clinical documentation, equipping them to collaborate effectively with healthcare providers to ensure accurate code assignment.
Understanding Risk Factors: Coders will be informed about the risk factors and underlying causes of conditions such as delirium, enabling them to identify potential contributing factors to altered mental status accurately.
Ethical Coding Practices: The course will instill a commitment to ethical coding practices, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and compliance in the role of a medical coder.

What will I learn about coding encephalopathy, altered mental status, dementia, and delirium in ICD-10-CM?

This course teaches how to differentiate and accurately assign ICD-10-CM codes for encephalopathy, altered mental status, dementia, and delirium. You’ll explore clinical indicators that distinguish these conditions, how to interpret documentation, and how to apply coding guidelines and conventions so diagnoses are coded precisely in inpatient, outpatient, and profee settings.

How does the course help coders apply sequencing and guideline logic for cognitive and neurologic conditions?

The course reviews ICD-10-CM sequencing rules and shows how to evaluate documentation to determine which condition should be reported first when multiple cognitive or neurologic issues are present. With real clinical scenarios, you’ll learn to apply official guidelines to ensure compliant and accurate code selection for complex documentation.

Will this course improve my ability to interpret clinical documentation for encephalopathy, delirium, and dementia coding?

Yes. The course highlights the documentation elements you must confirm—such as specific symptoms, symptom onset and duration, behavioral disturbances, and causative factors—to support accurate code assignment. This helps you evaluate records more thoroughly and recognize when additional clarification or querying is needed for defensible coding.

About Our Medical Coding Courses

HIAlearn, powered by Health Information Associates (HIA)—a leader in medical coding and auditing for more than three decades—offers a flexible, online education platform designed for today’s coders. With a growing catalog of AHIMA and AAPC-approved coding courses, HIAlearn supports both beginners and experienced coders looking to build confidence, accuracy, and CEU credits.

Courses are available across various coding types including CPT, E/M, ICD-10-CM, and ICD-10-PCS, and are designed for multiple specialties including inpatient, outpatient, profee, and CDI.

To stay up to date, coders can explore our Coding Updates hub for the latest ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and IPPS changes. HIAlearn also supports organizations with group discounts and scalable team access, promoting accuracy, compliance, and continuous professional development across departments.