Description
n years past the main concern of hospitals and health systems was to provide treatment to patients and discharge them in sufficient time to meet the length of stay (LOS) guidelines related to Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs). This has often led to patients being discharged to return to the same inadequate living, working and social environments that may have contributed to their illness in the first place. In October 2015, Z codes were introduced as part of the International Classification of Disease (ICD) -10 Clinical Management (CM) codes. ICD-10 CM Z codes are similar to V codes used in mental health DSM-5 coding. While including Z codes in diagnosis coding is not mandatory, they are widely used. The American Hospital Association provided guidance to hospitals and physicians encouraging them to use Z codes to document non-medical social needs (SN) that might influence the health status of a patient. Data capture of codes related to SDOH and SN has the potential to identify patients who require social intervention prior to discharge. It also has the potential to create a database that can be used to implement care programs that reduce inequities and promote health equity. In this module students will learn the SDOH Z code categories and explore how the captured data can be used by hospitals to create internal programs and develop external partnerships that sustain equitable programs of care. After viewing the American Hospital Association webinar, write a two page summary on how the hospitals presented in the webinar are using Z-codes to address SDOH. Include a final thought/paragraph, on how you believe you can use Z-codes in your hospital (or a hospital you hope to work for after your degree) to improve the health of patients with a particular SDOH. First, find a Z Code that you want to address using the website provided. Then, address the following: 1) Tell how you would use health analytics to identify a SDOH Z-code that impacts your patients;2) describe the problem associated with your chosen Z code and its social impact on affected individuals (example, for Z code Z59.0 – Homelessness: a rise in the number of homeless people who come into the ER in the winter);3) describe a health initiative you would create with emphasis on reducing inequities and promoting health equity to mitigate that Z-code in your patient population. (4 a, b) This assignment is a total of 2 pages.
