If the documentation is not clear as to whether acute respiratory failure and another condition are equally responsible for the admission, the acute respiratory failure is always sequenced first.

Question

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The sequencing depends on the circumstances of admission and the guidelines provided by the coding system being used (e.g., ICD-10-CM). If the documentation does not clearly indicate which condition is more responsible for the admission, the coder should query the provider for clarification.

If the Documentation Is Not Clear as to Whether Acute