Term: Number of Diagnoses
Last Updated: 2016-01-21
The number of diagnoses is a comorbidity measure based on all the ICD–9–CM and ICD–10–CA diagnosis codes attributed to patients during medical visits and hospitalizations over a specific period of time. Post–admit comorbidities (complications) from the hospital abstract data were excluded, based on diagnosis type (C or 2). ICD–10–CA diagnosis codes were converted to ICD–9–CM codes, and then all codes were truncated to the third digit. Each unique ICD–9–CM code over the time period was counted to calculate the summation. It is presumed that an increased number of diagnoses equates to higher morbidity or sickness level.