Stress fracture, oth site, subs for fx w delay heal

This code signifies a stress fracture located in an anatomical region other than those specifically classified elsewhere (e.g., femur, tibia, foot, vertebra). It indicates that the patient is receiving active treatment for the stress fracture, but the healing process is progressing slower than expected.

Apply this code for patients presenting for follow-up care of a previously diagnosed stress fracture at an "other site" where documentation explicitly states delayed healing. This includes scenarios such as ongoing physical therapy, repeat imaging to assess healing, or medication management for the delayed union. Documentation must clearly specify "delayed healing" and the "other site" of the stress fracture.

• Ensure the documentation specifies "delayed healing" for the stress fracture; otherwise, a routine follow-up code might be more appropriate.
• Verify the fracture site is not one with a more specific ICD-10-CM code (e.g., M84.35- for femur, M84.36- for tibia).
• This code is for subsequent encounters; an initial encounter for a stress fracture would use a different seventh character.