Infected catheter w/o antibiotics??
We have started care on a bed-bound patient (M.S.) who was recently in the hospital with an infected Foley catheter and pyelonephritis. Doctors mentioned the infectious agent was a pseudomonas that was only susceptible to IV cefepime & that it could not be fought with oral antibiotics.
The patient was very eager to get home, regardless of needing IV treatment in the hospital. She was discharged without antibiotics, but the pseudomonas is still active according to urine cultures upon discharge.
Should I still code T83.511A even though she's not receiving active treatment with antibiotics, to capture that the pseudomonas is still active??? Or code it as subsequent??
Comments
That's a toughie. I was always taught that you only code for infections when antibiotics are on board and condition is being actively treated. If you get a concrete answer, let us know?
I ended up coding it as subsequent... felt wrong but it's the right way. Ha!
I would have coded it as active. subsequent encounter can also be thought of as a "healing phase" if he never received treatment, he cant be in the healing phase.