ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS Query Guidelines

• Individual Queries
• State/Territory coding advisory committee queries
• State/Territory contacts
• Query Process

The ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS coding query process provides clinical coders, through their jurisdictions with an avenue to resolve coding queries to facilitate correct, relevant and nationally consistent assignment of ICD-10-AM and ACHI codes to episodes of care.

The query submission process also highlights problematic issues and/or anomalies within the classifications. These issues may then be reviewed and updated for subsequent editions of ICD-10-AM, ACHI and ACS.

If there is uncertainty as to whether old advice is still relevant then clinical coders should follow the query submission process outlined below. Local advice is not applicable nationally.

Individual Queries

The query process requires clinical coders to follow these steps before submitting a query to their State/Territory coding advisory committee representative.

1. Review the current edition of ICD-10-AM, ACHI and ACS including any errata and current national published advice (national Coding Rules).
2. Reference texts; perform a web search (if available).
3. Seek advice from peers/local coding group/clinicians.

If the query is unable to be resolved through this process it may be sent to the State/Territory relevant representative. It is important that coding queries include any supporting documents, references and clinical advice.

Only nominated State/Territory representatives and a limited number of other authorised users have the authority to submit queries via ACE.

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State/Territory coding advisory committee queries

The coding advisory committees act as reference groups in each state/territory for clinical coders who request assistance on coding issues. These committees are responsible for responding to those coding queries. A query from the State/Territory representative must be of a significantly complex/difficult nature that cannot be resolved at a local level. The following steps must be performed by the committee before submitting a query.

1. Review the current edition of ICD-10-AM, ACHI and ACS including any errata and current national published advice (national Coding Rules).
2. Reference texts; perform a web search (if available).
3. Seek advice from clinicians (as necessary).
4. Review and discuss the query using the documentation and any references or clinical advice supplied and decide if a state/territory decision can be made.
5. Determine if the query is significantly complex or of a difficult nature before submitting. Query submissions need to include supporting documents, references and clinical advice.
6. Provide an interim jurisdictional response, where possible, and forward with the query.

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CAC Contacts

ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS coding queries should be directed to your nominated representatives in the first instance.

ACT Clinical Coding Group Dianne Ramadan Canberra Health Services dianne.s.ramadan@act.gov.au NSW Clinical Coding Leadership Group Chris Moser Clinical Information Specialist System Information & Analytics Branch Ministry of Health Level 9, 1 Reserve Road St Leonards NSW 2065 christina.moser@health.nsw.gov.au SA Coding Advisory Group Health Information Governance Unit Activity Based Management & Funding Department for Health and Wellbeing PO Box 287 Rundle Mall Adelaide SA 5000 medicalrecords@sa.gov.au Victorian ICD Coding Committee Carla Read, Committee Chair Victorian Agency for Health Information 50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne, Victoria 3000 carla.read@health.vic.gov.au Please submit queries online here

Clinical Coding Authority of Queensland The Secretary Clinical Coding Authority of Queensland c/- Healthcare Purchasing and Funding Branch Department of Health GPO Box 48 Brisbane QLD 4001 CCAQ@health.qld.gov.au NT Coders Forum Health Information Services Alice Springs Hospital PO Box 2234 Alice Springs NT 0870 QUERY.CODING@nt.gov.au Tasmanian Coding Advisory Committee Julie Turtle Clinical Coding Educator/Auditor Policy, Purchasing, Performance and Reform GPO BOX 125B Hobart TAS 7001 julie.turtle@health.tas.gov.au WA Clinical Coding Authority Department of Health Level 1, A Block 189 Royal St East Perth WA 6004 clinical.coding@health.wa.gov.au Access to their website here

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Query Process

Users of the classification require access to timely and nationally consistent coding advice which in turn informs updates to the classifications.

Queries are carefully reviewed and considered in order to provide consistent and relevant coding advice.

The query response process includes:

1. Reviewing the current edition of ICD-10-AM, ACHI and ACS, including any errata.
2. Reviewing current classification advice (national Coding Rules) contained in the Australian Classification Exchange (ACE).
3. Referencing other classifications, including other international classifications and those currently under development such as ICD-11 and the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI).
4. Referencing texts.
5. Performing a web search.
6. Seeking clinical advice from the Classification Clinical Advisory Group (CCAG) and where required, clinical speciality groups.
7. Reviewing documentation pertaining to development of ICD-10-AM, ACHI and ACS.
8. Where relevant, seeking international advice on issues of ICD-10 convention.
9. Review by classification experts and expert advisors.
10. Preparing a response.
11. Publishing the query as part of national Coding Rules in ACE.
12. Making amendments to ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS in a future edition, as required.

Coding queries, referred to as national Coding Rules in ACE, are generally published quarterly synchronously with the publication of errata to ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS. National Coding Rules should be implemented for separations from the first day of the following month. For example, national Coding Rules published on 15 June take effect for separations from 1 July. Episodes of care occurring prior to this should not be retrospectively recoded to implement the national Coding Rules.

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