Stress fracture, left hand, subs for fx w routn heal

This code signifies a stress fracture affecting the bones of the left hand. A stress fracture is a small crack in a bone, often caused by repetitive stress or overuse rather than a single traumatic event. The "subsequent encounter" indicates the patient is receiving routine follow-up care for the healing fracture.

Apply this code when documentation specifies a stress fracture of the left hand and the patient is in the healing phase, receiving routine care. This includes follow-up appointments to monitor healing progress, cast changes, or physical therapy for rehabilitation during the normal healing period. Documentation should clearly state "stress fracture," "left hand," and indicate a subsequent encounter for routine healing.

• Ensure the documentation specifies "stress fracture" and not a traumatic fracture, which would require a different code series.
• Verify the laterality is "left hand" to avoid miscoding.
• Confirm the encounter is for "routine healing" and not for a complication (e.g., nonunion, malunion), which would necessitate a different 7th character.