Coma scale, eyes open, to sound, in the field

This code indicates a patient's level of consciousness as assessed by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) in an out-of-hospital setting. Specifically, it signifies that the patient's eyes opened in response to an auditory stimulus, such as a spoken command or loud noise, during an initial assessment by emergency medical personnel. This finding is a component of the overall GCS score, reflecting a moderate level of neurological responsiveness.

Use this code when emergency medical services (EMS) or ambulance personnel document a GCS eye-opening score of 3, specifically "to sound," during their initial assessment of a patient in the field. This applies to patients presenting with altered mental status, head injury, stroke, or other conditions requiring neurological evaluation prior to hospital arrival. Documentation must clearly state the GCS eye-opening component and the context of the assessment (e.g., "GCS E3 to sound by EMT").

• This code represents only one component of the GCS; ensure other GCS components (verbal and motor) are also coded if documented.
• Distinguish from "eyes open spontaneously" (E4) or "eyes open to pain" (E2), which have different code assignments.
• Only use for assessments performed "in the field" by EMS; hospital-based GCS assessments use different codes.