RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Coding and Obesity: Room to Grow
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 329
OP 330
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2011.03.100200
VO 24
IS 3
A1 Mark B. Stephens
YR 2011
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/24/3/329.abstract
AB Introduction: Obesity is the leading health problem in the United States. Providers often fail to document obesity in patients whose body mass index (BMI) is more than 30.Methods:Using a structured data query of the military health system electronic medical record, we determined the BMI and presence of an associated International Classification of Disease code in a cohort of more than 3 million patients.Results:Fifteen percent of patients (482,628) had a BMI exceeding 30. Of those patients with a BMI more than 30,78,776 (16%) had an associated International Classification of Disease 9 code documenting obesity in their record.Conclusion:Coding and documentation of obesity is inadequate. This has implications for delivery of preventive counseling and efforts to mitigate rising trends in obesity.