What's The Difference?

[Melanie Brown]

I am getting to the heart of my AHIMA Coding Basics program. I work in a hospital department that is nice enough to allow me to have the previous years' ICD9CM manual. However, they use the version for physician's. Most of the courses require the professional version. My question is, as I start to familiarize myself with the guidelines for ICD9, can I use the physician's version that I have or do I need to purchase the professional version?

Thanks.

 

[Carolyn Heath]

It is really up to you on what you want to get certified in, but ICD-9 has two different versions. The physician's version has Volume 1 & 2; the hospital version has Volume 1, 2, 3.

 

[Alicia Scott]

If you do not need Volume 3 which is for Inpatient coding then the physician version is fine.