2025 ICD-10-CM code Z91.51
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A Factors influencing health status and contact with health services - Personal history of self-harm Chapter 21: Factors influencing health status and contact with health services Feed
This code indicates a personal history of suicidal behavior.
The medical necessity for coding Z91.51 lies in the comprehensive documentation of a patient's past medical history relevant to risk assessment and management. Understanding past suicidal behavior helps clinicians to develop appropriate treatment plans and implement preventative measures to mitigate future risks.
Documentation of past suicidal behavior requires thorough clinical review of patient records, including previous hospitalizations, mental health evaluations, and any relevant documentation from other healthcare providers.The attending physician or qualified healthcare professional is responsible for reviewing this information and accurately assigning the code.
- Chapter 21: Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
- Z91.5 (Personal history of self-harm)
In simple words: This code is used to record that someone has attempted suicide or harmed themselves in the past. It is only used if the person is not currently suicidal.If the person is currently having suicidal thoughts or actions, a different code would be used.
ICD-10-CM code Z91.51, "Personal history of suicidal behavior," is used to document a patient's past history of suicide attempts or self-harm with suicidal intent.This code is applied when the patient is not currently experiencing suicidal ideation or behavior but has a documented history of such incidents. It should be accompanied by a corresponding procedure code if a procedure was performed.This code is unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.Note that this code is a subcategory under Z91.5, personal history of self-harm.
Example 1: A 30-year-old patient presents for a routine physical examination.Review of their records reveals a previous suicide attempt 5 years ago, for which they received inpatient psychiatric care.Z91.51 is coded to reflect this history., A 17-year-old patient is admitted to the hospital following a self-inflicted injury. While the current event requires separate coding for the injury and any treatment received, Z91.51 would be used to document their prior suicide attempt reported during their initial assessment. , A 45-year-old patient undergoing therapy for anxiety and depression reveals a history of self-harm during their teenage years, which was not associated with a suicide attempt. While Z91.52 (Personal history of non-suicidal self-harm) would be more appropriate in this case, if the patient's history included any past self-harm with suicidal intent, Z91.51 would be used.
Complete medical records, including previous hospitalizations, mental health evaluations, therapy notes, and any documentation from emergency services, are required to support the use of this code. The documentation should clearly indicate a history of suicidal ideation or behavior. Any procedures performed related to the past suicide attempt need to be documented with appropriate procedure codes.
** This code is only applicable to past events and should not be used to code for current suicidal ideation or behavior.Accurate coding requires careful review of patient history and documentation.Consult with a coding specialist for complex cases or if additional clarification is needed.
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Psychiatry, Psychology, Emergency Medicine
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital