Other and unspecified complications of medical care, not elsewhere classified

This code represents a broad category for adverse events or complications arising from medical care that are not specifically classified elsewhere. It encompasses unexpected and undesirable outcomes directly attributable to a diagnostic, therapeutic, or surgical intervention, or from the administration of medication, when a more specific ICD-9-CM code is unavailable.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a complication of medical care, but the specific nature of the complication or the type of medical care involved does not have a more precise ICD-9-CM code. This often applies to unusual or poorly defined adverse reactions, or when the medical record simply states "complication of medical care" without further detail.

• Avoid using this code if a more specific complication code (e.g., those found in chapters 996-998) can be identified from the documentation.
• Always query the provider for more specific details if the documentation only states "complication of medical care" to determine if a more precise code is warranted.
• This code should be sequenced as a secondary diagnosis, with the primary diagnosis reflecting the condition for which the medical care was provided, or the specific complication if known.