Intentional self-harm by drown in natural water, init

This code signifies a deliberate act of self-harm where an individual attempts to end their life by drowning or submerging themselves in a natural body of water, such as a lake, river, or ocean. It indicates the initial presentation or treatment for injuries sustained during this specific event.

Apply this code when documenting a patient's first encounter for injuries resulting from a suicide attempt involving drowning or submersion in a natural water source. This would include scenarios like a patient being rescued from a lake after intentionally entering it to self-harm, or a body recovered from a river with evidence of a suicide attempt.

• Ensure documentation clearly states the intent was self-harm and the location was a natural body of water.
• Always assign external cause codes (X71.3XXA) in conjunction with codes for any resulting injuries or conditions.
• Verify the encounter is the initial encounter for this specific self-harm event. Subsequent encounters would use different seventh characters.