Struck by ice hockey stick, subsequent encounter

This code describes an injury sustained from being hit by an ice hockey stick, specifically when the patient is receiving follow-up care for the initial injury. It indicates that the patient is beyond the initial active treatment phase and is returning for further evaluation, treatment, or monitoring related to the original incident.

This code is appropriate for subsequent encounters following an initial injury from an ice hockey stick, such as during physical therapy sessions, follow-up appointments with a specialist, or when monitoring the healing process of a fracture or soft tissue injury. It should be used after the acute phase of treatment has concluded and the patient is no longer in active emergency or initial hospital care.

• Ensure the encounter is for follow-up care related to the initial injury, not for a new injury or the initial treatment.
• Always sequence this external cause code after the primary diagnosis code describing the specific injury sustained.
• Verify the encounter is truly "subsequent" and not an initial encounter, which would require a different seventh character.