Wound Care ICD-10-CM Codes
Discover the ICD-10 codes used for wound care and the codes’ clinical descriptions, billability, synonyms, and more.
By Bernard Ramirez on Feb 29, 2024.
Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.
What ICD-10 Codes are Used for Wound Care
Here’s a list of ICD Codes for wound care that practitioners can use for diagnosing, documentation, billing, and coding:
- Z48.00: Encounter for change or removal of nonsurgical wound dressing
- Z48.01: Encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing.
Do note that this code:
- Is exempt from POA or present on admission reporting
- It cannot be used as a principal diagnosis
Which Wound Care ICD codes are Billable:
Yes, both Z48.00 and Z48.01 are both billable.
Clinical Information
- Wounds are anything that breaks the skin.
- Care depends on the wound's size, depth, and dirtiness.
- If a patient has a minor wound, it can be treated at home. Some common treatments are washing, disinfecting, pressing down, elevation, and, if needed, wrapping the wound in a bandage or sterile dressing. If there’s any pain, one can take pain medication, and ice can be applied to the wound if there’s any bruising or swelling.
- For more severe cases, treatments include skin glue, sutures, or stitches and covering the wound in gauze if needed. Pain medication and antibiotics may be prescribed if the patient experiences pain alongside the wound.
Synonyms Include:
- Change of surgical wound dressing done
- Change of nonsurgical wound dressing done
- Surgical wound dressing change
- Surgical wound dressing removal
- Nonsurgical wound dressing change
- Nonsurgical wound dressing removal
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Commonly asked questions
You can use a wound care ICD code once you’ve made a principal diagnosis and determined that the following steps involve wound care.
Yes, both wound care diagnosis codes mentioned above are billable.
Common treatments for minor wounds are washing/disinfecting, wrapping the wound, taking pain medication, and ice application. Skin glue/sutures/stitches may be required alongside pain medication or antibiotics for more severe cases.
