Question

multiple choice question

for hospital coding, the first-listed diagnosis is referred to as the ______ diagnosis and is defined as the condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission.

tertiary
principal
admitting
secondary

Explanation:

Analyze the question context

The question asks for the term used in hospital coding (inpatient setting) to describe the first-listed diagnosis, which is defined as "the condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission."

Evaluate the options

• tertiary: Refers to a third level of care or a third-listed diagnosis, not the primary condition responsible for admission.
• principal: In inpatient hospital coding, the "principal diagnosis" is officially defined by the Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS) as "that condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for occasioning the admission of the patient to the hospital for care."
• admitting: The admitting diagnosis is the provisional condition identified at the time of admission, which may differ from the principal diagnosis determined after study.
• secondary: Refers to additional conditions that coexist at the time of admission or develop during the stay, affecting patient care but not chiefly responsible for the admission.

Select the correct term

Based on official coding guidelines, the term that matches the definition perfectly is "principal".

Answer:

• tertiary
• principal (Correct answer)
• admitting
• secondary