What is the mandated code set used for diagnoses and inpatient procedures called?

The mandated code set used for diagnoses and inpatient procedures is the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The ICD is a globally recognized system for coding various health conditions and diseases, allowing for standardized reporting and analysis of health statistics.

The importance of the ICD lies in its role in maintaining a consistent framework for diagnoses, which aids in the tracking of health trends, disease prevalence, and healthcare resource allocation. The system helps healthcare providers communicate effectively about patient conditions, facilitating better coordination of care and understanding of treatment outcomes.

While other coding systems, such as Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), are essential in their respective areas—like outpatient procedures and specific service descriptions—the ICD is unique in being the primary system mandated for diagnoses across the global healthcare landscape. The National Drug Code (NDC), on the other hand, specifically relates to drugs and does not encompass diagnoses or procedures, making it unrelated to this particular context.