Passenger of snowmobile injured in traffic accident, subs

This code indicates that a patient, who was a passenger on a snowmobile, sustained injuries in a traffic accident and is now presenting for follow-up care or treatment of complications related to the initial injury. The "subsequent encounter" aspect signifies that this is not the initial presentation for the injury.

This code is appropriate for office visits, hospital readmissions, or therapy sessions for injuries sustained as a snowmobile passenger in a traffic collision, after the initial acute treatment has been rendered. Examples include follow-up for fracture care, wound checks, or physical therapy for sprains or strains resulting from the accident.

• Ensure the documentation clearly states the patient was a passenger, not the driver, and that the incident was a traffic accident.
• Verify that this is indeed a subsequent encounter; for the initial encounter, a different seventh character would be appended.
• Always code the specific injury(ies) sustained in addition to this external cause code.