American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certification Practice Exam

Which ICD-9-CM code corresponds to atopic dermatitis in an elderly patient?

1. 691.0

2. 705.1

3. 690.10

4. 782.1

The correct answer is: 691.0

The ICD-9-CM code 691.0 directly corresponds to atopic dermatitis, specifically indicating this condition. Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition characterized by inflammation, redness, and itching, and the code 691.0 is used to denote the occurrence of this disorder. Understanding the structure of coding, the first digit '6' in this code corresponds to diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The '91' specifies that it is a dermatitis condition, and '0' denotes it as atopic dermatitis, clarifying that this is substantially recognized in medical coding practices. In contrast, the other codes represent different conditions. For instance, 705.1 relates to other dermatitis, 690.10 indicates allergic dermatitis, and 782.1 refers to skin eruptions. Since atopic dermatitis is a specific classification of dermatitis, the most accurate and applicable code for this condition in an elderly patient is indeed 691.0. This specificity is crucial for proper diagnosis coding, treatment, and reimbursement processes.