2025 ICD-10-CM code Z51.5
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Factors influencing health status and contact with health services - Encounters for other specific health care 21 Feed
Encounter for palliative care.
Palliative care is medically necessary when a patient has a serious illness and requires relief from symptoms, stress, and other burdens associated with the disease or treatment.It can be provided concurrently with curative treatment.
The clinician is responsible for assessing the patient's symptoms and needs, developing a palliative care plan, and providing or coordinating appropriate interventions, such as pain and symptom management, emotional and spiritual support, and assistance with advance care planning.
In simple words: A visit specifically for palliative care, which focuses on relieving symptoms and stress from serious illness to improve quality of life.
This code is used to indicate an encounter for palliative care, which focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness.It aims to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Example 1: A patient with advanced cancer is seen by their physician for management of pain and other symptoms related to the disease. The primary focus of this encounter is palliative care., A patient with end-stage heart failure is admitted to the hospital for management of shortness of breath and anxiety. The palliative care team is consulted to assist with symptom management and goals of care discussions. , A patient with dementia is seen by their primary care physician for ongoing management of their condition. During the visit, the physician addresses the patient's comfort and provides support to the family caregivers. The focus is on optimizing quality of life through palliative care approaches.
Documentation should support the need for palliative care, including the patient's underlying condition, the specific symptoms and needs being addressed, and the plan of care.
** The use of Z51.5 does not preclude the use of other codes to describe specific symptoms or interventions provided during the palliative care encounter.This code can be used for patients of any age, including children.
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Palliative medicine, hospice and palliative care, oncology, primary care, geriatrics, and other specialties depending on the patient's underlying condition.
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, On Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Off Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Home, Nursing Facility, Hospice, Office, and other places of service depending on the setting where the palliative care is provided.