Encounter for screening for depression

This code signifies an encounter where a patient is undergoing a formal screening process to identify the potential presence of depression. This typically involves the administration of standardized questionnaires or structured interviews designed to detect depressive symptoms in individuals who may not yet have a formal diagnosis.

Use this code when a patient presents for a routine check-up or preventive visit and a depression screening tool is administered. This is also appropriate for encounters where a patient is screened for depression as part of a general health assessment, even if they do not report specific depressive symptoms.

• Always sequence this code as a primary diagnosis when the sole purpose of the encounter is depression screening.
• Do not use this code if the patient is already diagnosed with depression or is presenting for management of known depression.
• Consider adding a secondary code for any positive screening results or identified risk factors, if applicable.