Coma scale, best verbal response, none, 24+hrs

This code indicates that a patient, 24 hours or more after hospital admission, exhibits no verbal response as assessed by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). This finding suggests a severe level of neurological impairment, specifically concerning the patient's ability to communicate verbally.

Apply this code when documentation explicitly states a GCS verbal score of "none" or "1" (no verbal response) that persists for at least 24 hours following the patient's admission to the hospital. This is typically seen in patients with severe brain injury, stroke, or other conditions leading to profound altered mental status.

• Ensure the documentation specifies "none" for verbal response and confirms the timeframe of 24 hours or more post-admission.
• Do not confuse with codes for verbal responses other than "none" (e.g., incomprehensible sounds, inappropriate words).
• This code is for a finding and should be sequenced after the primary diagnosis causing the altered mental status.