This article discusses gastroenteritis, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and coding guidelines for accurately documenting this disorder.

1. Medical Coding for Gastroenteritis -
Know More about the ICD-10 Codes
This article discusses gastroenteritis,
its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and
coding guidelines for accurately
documenting this disorder.
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Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the lining of the stomach and small and large
intestines caused by a viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection. Also called stomach flu, this
condition often occurs through infection which spreads through contaminated food or water
and contact with an infected person. The infection causes the digestive tract to become
irritated resulting in diarrhea and other symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain and
cramping. Gastroenteritis normally lasts for a few days and doesn’t require any medication.
Treatment for this condition initially begins with self-care measures. The best prevention
strategy is practicing personal hygiene like avoiding food and water that may be
contaminated and frequent hand washing. As gastroenterology medical coding is a complex
task, most physician practices rely on medical coding outsourcing to meet their
documentation requirements.
Reports suggest that viral gastroenteritis is the second most common illness in the United
States. It may be caused by viruses (such as rotavirus or norovirus infections), bacteria
(including salmonella), parasites (such as giardia), chemicals (such as toxins in poisonous
mushrooms) and toxins produced by bacteria. It affects people of all age groups, but is
particularly common in young children and older adults with a weak immune system. One of
the main complications of gastroenteritis is dehydration. This usually happens when patients
do not drink enough fluids to replace what they lose through vomiting and diarrhea.
Symptoms
Generally, stomach flu symptoms may appear within one to three days after a person gets
infected. In most cases, symptoms can last just a day or two, but occasionally they may
persist for 10 days or more. Depending on the type of bacteria causing the infection, these
symptoms can range from mild to severe and include -
 Abdominal cramps and pain
 Nausea, vomiting or both
 Occasional muscle aches or headache
 Low-grade fever
 Loss of appetite
 Diarrhea
 Blood in the stools
 Tiredness and muscle ache and pain
It is quite easy for people to confuse this condition with diarrhea caused by bacteria, such
as Clostridium difficile, salmonella and E. coli, or parasites, such as giardia as the symptoms

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are similar. However, if your symptoms don’t improve even after five days (two days for
children) or if a child (older than 3 months) continues to vomit after 12 hours it is important
to immediately consult a physician.
How to Diagnose Gastroenteritis?
Diagnosis of this condition is normally based on symptoms and a detailed physical
examination. In some cases, it may also be diagnosed based on the presence of similar
cases in your community. A rapid stool test may be conducted to detect rotavirus or
norovirus. Treatment for this condition aims to keep patients hydrated and avoid
complications. Initially, treatment consists of self-care measures like -
 Drinking fluids regularly throughout the day (especially after bouts of diarrhea)
 Stop eating solid foods for a few hours
 Avoid consuming dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly
seasoned foods
 Consume foods or drinks with potassium, such as fruit juice and bananas
 Never consume over-the-counter medicines without physician prescription
However, for severe cases of bacterial gastroenteritis, patients may be admitted to the
hospital and supplied fluids and salts intravenously. Antibiotics are generally reserved for
the most severe cases.
Gastroenteritis – ICD-10 Codes
For appropriate reimbursement, providers should ensure that the diagnostic codes on
insurance billing claims for gastroenteritis accurately reflect their diagnosis.
Gastroenterology medical coding involves the use of specific medical codes to document
different conditions, including gastroenteritis. The following ICD-10 codes are relevant with
regard to this disease -
K52 - Other and unspecified noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis
 K52.0 - Gastroenteritis and colitis due to radiation
 K52.1 - Toxic gastroenteritis and colitis
K52.2 - Allergic and dietetic gastroenteritis and colitis
 K52.21 - Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome

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 K52.22 - Food protein-induced enteropathy
 K52.29 - Other allergic and dietetic gastroenteritis and colitis
 K52.3 - Indeterminate colitis
K52.8 - Other specified noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis
 K52.81 - Eosinophilic gastritis or gastroenteritis
 K52.82 - Eosinophilic colitis
K52.83 - Microscopic colitis
 K52.831 - Collagenous colitis
 K52.832 - Lymphocytic colitis
 K52.838 - Other microscopic colitis
 K52.839 - Other microscopic colitis, unspecified
K52.89 - Other specified noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis
K52.9 - Noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified
Practicing good hygiene is one of the important steps to reduce spreading of the bacteria.
Washing your hands after using the toilet and before handling food will help in this regard.
Make sure that the food to be consumed is properly refrigerated and thoroughly cooked.
Never consume food that is past its use-by date. In addition, try to avoid close contact with
others during your illness. Once your symptoms subside, it is best to wait at least 48 hours
before returning to work. Other preventative measures include - keeping your kitchen clean,
washing your hands after touching animals and before eating and avoid drinking untreated
water, and getting recommended vaccines. Vaccinate your infant or child with a rotavirus
vaccine, which can prevent gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus.
Medical coding for gastroenteritis can be a challenging process. For accurate and timely
medical billing and claims submission, healthcare practices can outsource their medical
coding tasks to an established medical billing company that provides the services of
AAPC-certified coding specialists.