A patient is admitted for acute community-acquired pneumonia. Longstanding type 2 diabetes mellitus is documented as an active chronic condition at admission but is not the reason for admission. Which POA assignment is correct for the diabetes?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Chronic diabetes sitting on the problem list at the door gets POA Y even when pneumonia is why they came in. Present-on-admission isn't the same question as 'was this the principal diagnosis?'
Full Explanation
Chronic conditions that exist at the time of admission are assigned POA Y regardless of whether they are the principal diagnosis. Secondary diagnoses are not exempt from POA reporting simply because they are secondary, except when a code is on the POA-exempt list. Defaulting chronic conditions to N or U without documentation support is incorrect.