Wrong. A hairline fracture occurs with trauma and is another description of a non-displaced fracture. A stress fracture occurs occurs spontaneously (like over-use) without a single direct impact trauma or some are pathologic.
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D Kindred at Home Little Rock, Arkansas 501-508-8526 Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
Maybe so, but if th MD does not state the fracture is due to an underlying disease process, and you have documentation of accident with injury documented, then the hairline fracture is an injury fracture, not a pathologic fracture. You cannot code it as pathologic unless the documentation is present. Definition of a hairline fracture: A minor fracture in which the bone fragments remain in alignment, appearing on x-ray film as a fine line.
Can happen in a fall, or with any degree of injury just as well as it can with osteoporosis.
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D Kindred at Home Little Rock, Arkansas 501-508-8526 Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
I have to disagree, orthopedics.com defines hairline fractures to also be called stress fractures. Reason being- it's due to fatigue caused by repeated stress (weight bearing) over time. A traumatic hairline fracture is defined as a stress fracture.
Repeated stress on a bone which is osteoporotic , for example, can cause a stress fracture, but so can repeated stress on a bone that can occur on an athletics’ leg bone or foot bone with repeated trauma with a distance runner. Again, the code use is the issue
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D Kindred at Home Little Rock, Arkansas 501-508-8526 Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
That is a stress fracture code. Stress fracture has been defined as a hairline fracture in the medical dictionary- that is a statement of fact. There are certain conditions that are defined in medical dictionary that do not need to be confirmed by a physician because it is a given by their mere definition.
Thank u everyone really appreciate everyone feedback.. I coded stress fx based on definition of hairline fx. Pt came to us from different hospital & I do not have any documentation about how it happened other than just S/P fall...
Comments
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
Definition of a hairline fracture:
A minor fracture in which the bone fragments remain in alignment, appearing on x-ray film as a fine line.
Can happen in a fall, or with any degree of injury just as well as it can with osteoporosis.
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
called stress fractures. Reason being- it's due to fatigue caused by
repeated stress (weight bearing) over time. A traumatic hairline fracture
is defined as a stress fracture.
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
definition is enough it does not need to be verified
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
Again, the code use is the issue
Nancy Wolverton RN, CCM, HCS-D
Kindred at Home
Little Rock, Arkansas
501-508-8526
Nancy.Wolverton@kindred.com
hairline fracture in the medical dictionary- that is a statement of fact.
There are certain conditions that are defined in medical dictionary that do
not need to be confirmed by a physician because it is a given by their mere
definition.