What is the primary purpose of adopting ICD-10-CM in healthcare?

The primary purpose of adopting ICD-10-CM in healthcare is to standardize healthcare documentation. The ICD-10-CM (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification) provides a uniform coding system that allows healthcare providers to accurately document and classify diseases and health-related conditions. This standardization is crucial for various reasons, including the facilitation of communication among healthcare providers, researchers, and public health officials; improving the quality of data collected; and enhancing the ability to analyze healthcare trends and outcomes.

While other choices may seem relevant, they are more of a result of implementing a standardized coding system rather than its primary purpose. For example, while improving billing accuracy and enhancing patient safety are important outcomes of using ICD-10-CM, the fundamental aim of this system is to ensure that healthcare documentation is consistent and universally understood, which ultimately supports improved patient care and more effective health data analysis. Thus, the adoption of ICD-10-CM directly supports the broader needs of advanced healthcare organizations by fostering a reliable and systematic approach to health care documentation.