I have never met a person who has been sucked into a jet engine. Why, you may ask? BECAUSE YOU DON’T SURVIVE SUCH AN ACCIDENT! Okay, one gentleman did actually survive, but he is the only one known after much research (mainly performed by others). I would like to believe that this is a rare occurrence, but it appears that no one knows how common it is. Most of these occur on aircraft carriers, and the military is (understandably) not eager to share this information. So why do I bring this up? Because it represents the ludicrous direction of medicine that is occurring despite the outcry of many physicians and organizations.
The 10th iteration of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, also known as ICD-10, launches today. This offers completely different and more unambiguous labeling of an individual’s diagnoses by increasing the amount of diagnosis codes (or clinical “labels”) by over 4 times. From a clinical perspective, it makes great sense to have greater specificity in understanding the problems patients have. From a billing perspective, this offers opportunities to better define how “sick” the population is that you care for. It stands to reason that the unhealthier your patient population is, the more you should be reimbursed for your care of that population. But many of these go well beyond quality health care, including a diagnosis code for the sequela of Being Sucked Into a Jet Engine.
Listed below are some of my favorite ridiculous diagnosis codes that the health industry has spent multiple millions of dollars (maybe even billions) to implement. We all will indirectly pay to allow the opportunity to be diagnosed with implementation of all these crazy diagnoses. It almost makes you wish that you would be sucked into a jet engine.
Bizarre ICD-10 Codes (alphabetically):
Accidental striking against or bumped into by another person, sequela (W51.XXXA)
Accident while knitting or crocheting (Y93.D1)
Activities involved arts and handicrafts (Y93.D)
Art gallery as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.250)
Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a discarded refrigerator, accidental (T71.231D)
Bitten by pig (W55.41XA)
Bitten by sea lion (W56.11)
Bizarre personal appearance (R46.1)
Burn due to water skis on fire (V91.07) (this is probably my favorite)
Hit or struck by falling object due to accident by canoe or kayak (V91.35)
Hurt at the library (Y92.241)
Hurt at the opera (Y92.253)
Other contact with cow (W55.29XA)
Other contact with dolphin (W56.09XA)
Other superficial bite of other specified part of neck (S10.87XA)
Pecked by a chicken (W61.33)
Pedestrian on foot injured in collision with other non-motor vehicle in non-traffic accident (V06.00XA)
Pedestrian on foot injured in collision with roller skater (V00.01)
Problems in relationships with in-laws (Z63.1)
Prolonged stay in weightless environment (X52)
Sucked into jet engine (V97.33)
Swimming pool of prison as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.146)
Unspecified balloon accident injuring occupant (V96.00)
Unspecified spacecraft accident injuring occupant (V95.40)
Walked into lamppost (W220.2XD)
Which one is your favorite?