Patients with diabetes are at increased risk of developing peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and/or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). If you determine that your patient has a compromised vascular system, you should appropriately code and document this condition during your patient’s encounter.

If the patient has skin breakdown, or ulcers, from poor circulation or diabetes, you want to make sure to include this diagnosis code and documentation as well. 

Did you know that a diabetic patient with peripheral vascular disease (E11.51), atherosclerosis of the native arteries of the right leg with ulceration of toes (I70.235) and skin ulcer of foot including toes (L97.509) would have a RAF score of 1.105?

Telling the whole patient story through your coding and documentation does make a difference.