ICD-10-CM Code W46.0
Contact with hypodermic needle
Non-Billable Code
Non-Billable means the code is not sufficient justification for admission to an acute care hospital when used a principal diagnosis. Use a child code to capture more detail.7th Character Required
Code requires 7th Character Extension identifier. This 7th Character usually captures Episode of Care information, such as "Initial Encounter," "Subsquent Encounter," or "Sequela."ICD Code W46.0 is a non-billable code. To code a diagnosis of this type, you must use specify a 7th character that describes the diagnosis 'contact with hypodermic needle' in more detail. The 7th characters that can be added, and the resulting billable codes, are as follows:
| 7th Digit | Billable Code | 7th Digit Specifies |
|---|---|---|
| A | W46.0XXA | initial encounter |
| D | W46.0XXD | subsequent encounter |
| S | W46.0XXS | sequela |
What is 7th Character Extension?
For codes less than 6 characters that require a 7th character a placeholder 'X' should be assigned for all characters less than 6. The 7th character must always be the 7th position of a code. E.g. The ICD-10-CM code T67.4 (Heat exhaustion due to salt depletion) requires an Episode of Care identifier. T67.4XXA Initial Encounter or T67.4XXD Subsequent Encounter. More InfoThe ICD code W46 is used to code Needlestick injury
Established within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Surveillance System for Healthcare Workers (NaSH) defines a percutaneous injury, or needle-stick injury (NSI), as penetration of skin resulting from a needle or other sharp object, which prior to the exposure was in contact with blood, tissue, or other body fluid. Occupational needle-stick injuries are most prevalent within the healthcare sector. Approximately 80% of all workplace NSI in the US occur among healthcare workers (HCW). Various other occupations are also at increased risk of NSI, including but not limited to law enforcement, laborers, tattoo artists, food preparers, and agricultural workers. Though the acute physiological effects of a needle-stick injury are generally negligible, the efficiency with which these devices transmit blood-borne diseases place those exposed to occupational NSI at increased risk of contracting infectious diseases, such as hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Among healthcare workers (HCW) & laboratory personnel worldwide, more than 25 blood-borne viruses have been reported associated with NSI.
| MeSH Code: | D016602 |
| ICD 9 Code: | E920.5 |
Coding Notes for W46.0 Info for medical coders on how to properly use this ICD-10 code
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Inclusion Terms:
Inclusion Terms
Inclusion Terms are a list of concepts for which a specific code is used. The list of Inclusion Terms is useful for determining the correct code in some cases, but the list is not necessarily exhaustive. - Hypodermic needle stick NOS
ICD-10-CM External Cause Index References for 'W46.0 - Contact with hypodermic needle'
The ICD-10-CM External Cause Index links the below-listed medical terms to the ICD code W46.0. Click on any term below to browse the external cause index.
Parent Code: W46 - Contact with hypodermic needle