ICD 9 codes

ICD-9 Codes

The ICD-9 codes refer to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, a system used by healthcare providers to classify and code all diagnoses, symptoms, and procedures recorded in conjunction with hospital care in the United States. The ICD-9 codes were used from 1979 until 2015, when they were replaced by the ICD-10 codes.

History

The ICD-9 was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and was first implemented in 1979. It was designed to promote international comparability in the collection, processing, classification, and presentation of mortality statistics.

Structure

The ICD-9 codes are divided into three volumes:

• Volume 1: Diseases: Tabular List
• Volume 2: Diseases: Alphabetic Index
• Volume 3: Procedures: Tabular List and Alphabetic Index

Each code consists of three to five characters, with the first three characters representing the category of the disease, and the subsequent characters providing additional specificity.

Usage

ICD-9 codes were used extensively in the United States for medical billing and health insurance claims. They were also used for epidemiological research, health statistics, and clinical documentation.

Transition to ICD-10

In October 2015, the United States transitioned from ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes. The ICD-10 system provides more detailed and specific codes, allowing for better tracking of diseases and health conditions.

Related Pages

• ICD-10
• World Health Organization
• Medical billing
• Health insurance
• Clinical documentation
• Epidemiology