Encounter relationship
What we found
Same injury, other encounter phase.S72.135A and S72.135S code the same injury at a different phase of treatment, set by the 7th character.
The 7th character records the type of care given at the encounter being coded (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.C.19.a), so one encounter takes one of these, not both.
What to review
Use the 7th character that matches the encounter being coded (initial, subsequent or sequela); one encounter takes one of them.
Guide: 7th characters: initial, subsequent, sequelaCheck these on a claim
Why it matters
The 7th character records the phase of care for the encounter being coded, so a single encounter takes one of these characters, not several. Review whether both phases belong on the same episode of care.
Source / rule
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.C.19.a