ICD-11 to be released in June after beta, multiple delays

The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing to release the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases, or ICD-11, in June. The coding system is unlikely to impact U.S. healthcare systems in the near term, as ICD-10 took decades from initial release until implementation.

According to the WHO, ICD-11 will include improved structuring of definitions, signs and symptoms, and other information on related diseases so they can be reported more accurately. Codes will consist of alphanumeric characters, beginning with numerals and containing four, rather than three characters, before the decimal point. ICD-11 will also function as an electronic database, compatible with electronic health systems and free to download in several different languages for personal use.

Despite extensive proposed updates to be finalized in June, it is unlikely that ICD-11 will impact healthcare systems in the foreseeable future, according to Raemarie Jimenez, CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, CANPC, CRHC, vice president of certifications and member development at AAPC in Salt Lake City.

ICD-11 needs to go through clinical modification in the U.S. before an implementation date will be set. If the implementation of ICD-10 is any indication, it may be years before ICD-11 is implemented, said Jimenez.

ICD-11 will continue to be reworked after its June release. Field testing of the new system is planned to take place between June 1, 2018, and March 21, 2019, although these dates are subject to change, according to a WHO Collaborating Centre, NHS Digital.

All potential updates to the classification system can be found in the WHO’s ICD-11 beta draft, which is updated by the organization daily. Training videos were recently uploaded to the site, reviewing the browser’s features and instructions for contributing to the development of ICD-11.

Additional information regarding expectations, concerns, and known issues surrounding the release of ICD-11 can be found here.