2025 ICD-10-CM code Z77
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A Factors influencing health status and contact with health services - Persons with potential health hazards related to family and personal history and certain conditions influencing health status Chapter 21: Factors influencing health status and contact with health services Feed
Other contact with and (suspected) exposures to hazardous substances.
Modifiers are not typically applied to ICD-10 codes, including Z77.
Medical necessity for coding Z77 is established by the documentation supporting the encounter.This includes evidence of contact with or suspected exposure to a hazardous substance and the need for assessment, treatment, or preventative care.
The clinical responsibility for coding Z77 falls on the physician or healthcare provider documenting the encounter.This involves documenting the details of the exposure, any symptoms, and any preventative or treatment measures undertaken.
In simple words: This code is used when someone has come into contact with or might have been exposed to something dangerous that could harm their health, but it's not a specific illness or injury. This could include things like exposure to harmful chemicals or metals.
This code classifies encounters for other contact with or suspected exposure to hazardous substances, chiefly non-medicinal, that pose a potential health risk.It encompasses various exposures, excluding those specifically categorized elsewhere, such as communicable diseases, perinatal tobacco smoke exposure, effects of substances transmitted via placenta or breast milk, occupational exposure to risk factors, retained foreign bodies, and toxic effects of non-medicinal substances.Specific examples may include exposure to hazardous chemicals, metals (such as arsenic or lead), or other environmental toxins not otherwise specified.
Example 1: A patient presents to the emergency department after accidentally ingesting a cleaning solution. Z77 is used to code the encounter along with procedure codes for any treatment provided, such as gastric lavage., A construction worker is exposed to asbestos at a worksite. Z77 would be used to code the encounter, and depending on the specifics of the exposure and any treatment, additional codes might be needed., A child is exposed to lead paint in their home.Z77 could be used, potentially alongside more specific codes depending on test results and the severity of the exposure.
Detailed documentation of the exposure, including the substance involved, the route of exposure (e.g., inhalation, ingestion, skin contact), the duration of exposure, any symptoms experienced by the patient, and any treatment or preventative measures taken.If possible, specify if the exposure was suspected or confirmed. Results from any laboratory tests or imaging studies.
** Z77 should be used cautiously and only when a more specific code is unavailable.Ensure complete and accurate documentation is provided to justify the use of this code.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable to ICD-10 codes.
- Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Toxicology
- Place of Service:Emergency Room - Hospital, Office, Urgent Care Facility