ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS Submission Guidelines
Public submissions are able to be made for modifications to the following:
- International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM)
- Australian Classification of Health Interventions (ACHI)
- Australian Coding Standards (ACS)
The public submission process provides an avenue for users to request/suggest updates to ICD-10-AM, ACHI and the ACS to ensure it:
- meets the needs of users
- continues to be comprehensive and meaningful.
Evaluation Criteria
The following are considered in determining the
ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS work plan:
- need to reflect updates to underpinning classifications, WHO ICD-10, Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Australian Dental Association (ADA) updates
- need to implement requests initiated by the Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA)
- need to consider updates in the context of other public submissions and developments, especially within the specialty being considered
- need to review Australian Coding Standards for currency and relevance
- need to correct anomalies in the underpinning structure of the classification(s)
- need to be clinically current
- impact on National Health Priority Areas (NHPAs)
- impact on Safety & Quality in Health Care
- impact on clinical coder burden
Progression of a submission is also impacted by:
- status of the current development cycle
- what has been endorsed for progression in the current work program.
The work program for the current revision of ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS takes into consideration the above
criteria and is endorsed by the ICD Technical Group (ITG) at the first ITG meeting of the production cycle.
Back to top
What to consider when preparing a Submission
There are a number of reasons to consider modification of the disease and intervention classification:
- Existing ICD-10-AM/ACHI code is too general or lacks specificity.
- Existing ICD-10-AM/ACHI code assignment is outdated due to advances in medical knowledge.
- Disease, related health problem or procedure/intervention is currently not classified in
ICD-10-AM/ACHI. For example, identification of a new disease or a disease of uncertain
aetiology which represents a unique concept to expert clinicians in that specialty.
Procedures must be sufficiently important and different in terms of frequency, cost,
site, procedure, technique, approach, use of technology or device, stage or invasiveness
to warrant a separate description.
- Typographical Error has been found within ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS.
- ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS indexing anomalies/omissions.
- ACS issues which are outdated, have been superseded by other classification developments or are confusing.
When preparing a submission, consideration should be given to the following points.
- Is the issue with the classification a result of data collection methods?
- Is the issue due to lack of knowledge of the classification?
- Is the recommended modification limited to a unique situation?
- Does the recommendation for modification or new code compromise the purpose
and structure of ICD-10-AM or ACHI? That is, does the recommendation follow
existing conventions and relate to a disease, an injury, a related health problem,
an external cause, a drug or chemical or a procedure (intervention)?
- Does the recommended modification or new code overlap with any existing codes in the classification?
- Does the recommended modification or new code require definition to ensure correct usage?
Back to top
How to proceed with your Public Submission
To lodge or track an ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS Public Submission go to Australian Classification Exchange (ACE).
If you don't have an account, you can register here. You will then be able
to prepare your submission at your convenience and save your work until you have completed it (Save Draft). To access a saved draft, go to
My Submissions. Once your submission is complete, you can then submit it. All documentation in support
of and/or relevant to your submission should be attached.
Back to top
What will happen with your Public Submission?
Receipt of ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS public submissions are acknowledged by email, evaluated using the
criteria outlined above and may inform the work program.
Once it has been determined that a public submission will be progressed, a proposal
to update the classification is developed and then reviewed by the ICD Technical Group (ITG) to elicit
expert advice from external stakeholders prior to being included in the next edition.
The progress of public submissions can be viewed in the Australian Classification Exchange
(ACE) and submitters will in due course (usually once content for the current development cycle
has been finalised) be advised of the outcome i.e. whether it has been approved for the next
edition, not approved or held over for consideration in a future edition.
Back to top
Status of ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS Submissions
The following status definitions will be updated on ACE as your submission progresses through the evaluation process.
|
In Queue
|
The submission has been successfully submitted.
|
|
Held Over
|
Following assessment, the submission is deemed to have raised a valid concern.
The submission may be reconsidered in the next development cycle because:
-
the work required is too large for completion in this revision cycle.
-
it was submitted too late for completion in this revision cycle.
-
the proposal has implications for other areas of the classification that should be considered at the same time.
|
|
In Progress
|
The submission is being processed.
|
|
Consultation
|
The submission has been referred for consultation. This may involve correspondence and/or meetings with the various governing committees (ITG, DTG or CCAG).
|
|
Approved
|
The submission has been processed, drafted and approved for inclusion in the next edition of ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS.
|
|
Cancelled
|
The query or public submission was submitted in error.
|
|
Not Approved
|
The submission has not been accepted for inclusion in ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS.
|
Back to top
|