Since DSM-IV-TR has not been officially adopted as a HIPAA Code Set, can I still use the DSM-IV-TR criteria for making psychiatric diagnosis?
A; Yes. The US Government has officially sanctioned the continued use of the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria. Two entries on the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Center for Medicare Services web site address this issue. In response to the question Can clinicians continue current practice and use the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria?, the site states clinicians may continue to base their diagnostic decisions on the DSM-IV criteria, and, if so, to crosswalk those decisions to the appropriate ICD-9-CM codes. In addition, it is still perfectly permissible for providers and others to use the DSM-IV codes, descriptors and diagnostic criteria for other purposes, including medical records, quality assessment, medical review, consultation and patient communications.
