German adaptations of ICD-10

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Medical Coding Systems
• Public Health Statistics

Background:

• The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) implementation faces challenges, particularly in Germany.
• While some regions use ICD-10 for mortality statistics, its use for morbidity data remains limited.
• The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) persists in German hospitals, indicating a slow transition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the slow adoption of ICD-10 in Germany.
• To highlight the development and utility of supplementary tools for ICD-10 encoding.
• To report on the initial success of newly developed ICD-10 encoding aids and future directions.

Main Methods:

• Review of ICD-10 implementation status across different healthcare sectors in Germany.
• Development and assessment of specialized ICD-10 versions (ICD-10-SGBV, ICD-10-Diagnosenthesaurus).
• Creation and harmonization of an ICD-9 to ICD-10 conversion table with WHO's Translator.

Main Results:

• ICD-10 adoption for mortality statistics is present but limited for morbidity.
• Specialized tools like ICD-10-SGBV and ICD-10-Diagnosenthesaurus have been developed and show satisfying results.
• A harmonized ICD-9/-10 conversion table has been established, enhancing usability.

Conclusions:

• The transition to ICD-10 in Germany is gradual, necessitating supportive tools.
• Developed aids, including specialized versions and conversion tables, have proven effective in improving diagnosis encoding.
• Future efforts will focus on developing automated methods for encoding free-text diagnoses.