Encephalopathy Definition: Global cerebral dysfunction in the absence of structural brain disease.
Types of Encephalopathy include:
| Septic Encephalopathy | Metabolic Encephalopathy |
| Toxic Encephalopathy | Hypertensive Encephalopathy |
| Hepatic Encephalopathy with/without coma | Anoxic Encephalopathy |
| Hypoglycemic Encephalopathy | Traumatic Encephalopathy |
- AMS caused by a medical diagnosis is encephalopathy.
- Consider adding GCS scores to your documentation.
- Be sure to document the individual GCS scores as there are corresponding ICD-10 codes for the individual scores which demonstrate a high level of illness (when appropriate)
- There are ICD-10 codes for the total score, however they do not show the same level of illness on paper as the individual scores when the individual scores are abnormal
- Please note that EMT and/or nursing documentation of the GCS is acceptable for coding per Coding Clinic
Download the complete tip, Encephalopathy Using GCS.