ICD-10 Code for Occult Blood
The ICD-10 code for occult blood (specifically for abnormal or positive fecal occult blood test) is R19.5.
Primary Code
- R19.5 is the specific ICD-10 code designated for "other fecal abnormalities" which includes positive or abnormal fecal occult blood test results 1
- This code should be applied when a patient has a positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT) result 1
Clinical Context and Application
- The R19.5 code is used to document the finding of occult blood in stool, whether detected by guaiac-based FOBT or immunochemical FIT 2
- Timely coding with R19.5 within 30-90 days of an abnormal FIT result is associated with significantly improved colonoscopy completion rates (40.9% vs 16.8%, P <0.001) 1
- This code is distinct from codes for overt gastrointestinal bleeding, which would use different ICD-10 classifications 2
Important Coding Considerations
- Occult GI bleeding is defined as patients presenting with iron-deficiency anemia with or without guaiac-positive stools who are found to have a source of bleeding 2
- The R19.5 code represents the laboratory finding itself, not the underlying cause of bleeding 1
- Additional codes should be added to capture the underlying etiology once identified through diagnostic workup (such as endoscopy) 2
- In clinical practice, less than two-thirds of patients receive timely ICD-10 code designation within 30 days of an abnormal fecal occult blood test, representing a significant gap in documentation 1
Related Codes to Consider
- W75 (ICD-10) is used for accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, which is unrelated to occult blood 2
- R95 is used for sudden infant death syndrome, also unrelated 2
- When gastrointestinal bleeding is identified as the source, specific codes for the anatomic location and type of bleeding should be used instead of or in addition to R19.5 2