G.I. Hemorrhage and Anemia – Two separate diagnosis
When documenting G.I. Hemorrhage and Anemia consider this:
1) If G.I. Bleed is the principal diagnosis and the patient is anemic, list anemia as the
secondary diagnosis.
2) Then, consider if the anemia is “Acute Blood Loss Anemia”.
3) Does the patient have a chronic anemia, iron-deficiency anemia, or disease
associated anemia? If so, is it possible that they have acute blood loss anemia on
top of a chronic anemia?
4) “Acute Blood Loss Anemia” is the only anemia documentation that increases
severity.
5) Written any other way including “severe anemia”, “blood loss anemia”, “acute
anemia”, “iron-deficiency anemia”, etc…codes as chronic anemia.