Dementia Diagnosis Coding

Dementia is not a specific disease. Instead, dementia describes a group of symptoms affecting thinking and social abilities severe enough to interfere with daily functioning. There are many causes of dementia. Without an in-depth patient history, it may be difficult to identify a specific type of dementia. More than 1 type of dementia can be coded, if it is supported by the medical record. Remember to look at the Excludes notes and to code with proper sequences.