Kentucky Injury Prevention
and Research Center Publicaions

ICD-9-CM vs. ICD-10 for Coding Occupational Fatalities: Is ICD-10 Better, Worse, or Just Different?

Pope MJ, Scheerer A.

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is used extensively for coding occupational injury and fatalities. The widely used ninth revision, clinical modification, commonly referred to as ICD-9-CM, is gradually being replaced with the tenth revision, or ICD-10, which was released in 1992. Although an ICD-10-CM has also been developed, it's implementation isn't expected to be until after 2001. Mortality data from death certificates has been recorded using ICD-10 since January 1, 1999. This study addresses how the new coding will affect those who rely on ICD codes to track and evaluate workplace fatalities.

The Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) project (funded by NIOSH) at the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC) has tracked occupational fatalities in the state since its inception in 1994. Currently more than 800 fatalities are included in a database of general information that contains ICD-9-CM codes for the cause of death. In preparation for the change to ICD-10, cases were re-coded and the resulting code definitions were compared to the previously coded ICD-9-CM code definitions to determine the effects of the change. This presentation will show the perceived benefits and deficits of the "new" coding system as it relates to actual occupational fatality cases.

Comments to Mark Schneider, Last Modified: July 9, 2001 by JP
Copyright ©2000, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Statement