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ADL Coding Cheat Sheet

Discover our ADL Coding Cheat Sheet, an essential tool for healthcare professionals to assess and document patients' daily activities efficiently.

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By Nate Lacson on Aug 2, 2025.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

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ADL Coding Cheat Sheet Template

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Commonly asked questions

ADL coding provides a categorical system for physicians, nurses, and other care providers to assess a patient's ability to perform various essential activities of daily living (ADLs). It helps assess a patient's functional status and need for assistance in basic daily tasks, which is crucial for care planning.

The rule of 3 in ADL coding refers to categorizing ADLs based on the level of assistance needed: independent (no help), some help (up to two times), and dependent (three or more times or total assistance).

ADLs are scored based on the patient's level of independence from 0 to 6. A higher score indicates a greater ability to perform that activity independently. Scoring criteria vary depending on the specific ADL coding system.

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