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Episode of care—principal diagnosis, code (ICD-10-AM 5th edn) ANN{.N[N]}

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Help on this termData Element
Short name:Help on this termPrincipal diagnosis
METEOR identifier:Help on this term333838
Registration status:Help on this term
  • Health, Superseded 05/02/2008
Definition:Help on this termThe diagnosis established after study to be chiefly responsible for occasioning an episode of admitted patient care, an episode of residential care or an attendance at the health care establishment, as represented by a code.
Data Element Concept:Episode of care—principal diagnosis

Value domain attributes

Representational attributes

Classification scheme:International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification 5th edition
Representation class:Help on this termCode
Data type:Help on this termString
Format:Help on this termANN{.N[N]}
Maximum character length:Help on this term6

Data element attributes

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

The principal diagnosis must be determined in accordance with the Australian Coding Standards. Each episode of admitted patient care must have a principal diagnosis and may have additional diagnoses. The diagnosis can include a disease, condition, injury, poisoning, sign, symptom, abnormal finding, complaint, or other factor influencing health status.

As a minimum requirement the Principal diagnosis code must be a valid code from the current edition of ICD-10-AM.

For episodes of admitted patient care, some diagnosis codes are too imprecise or inappropriate to be acceptable as a principal diagnosis and will group to 951Z, 955Z and 956Z in the Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups.

Diagnosis codes starting with a V, W, X or Y, describing the circumstances that cause an injury, rather than the nature of the injury, cannot be used as principal diagnosis. Diagnosis codes which are morphology codes cannot be used as principal diagnosis.

Collection methods:Help on this term

A principal diagnosis should be recorded and coded upon separation, for each episode of patient care. The principal diagnosis is derived from and must be substantiated by clinical documentation.

Comments:Help on this termThe principal diagnosis is one of the most valuable health data elements. It is used for epidemiological research, casemix studies and planning purposes.

Source and reference attributes

Origin:Help on this term

Health Data Standards Committee

National Centre for Classification in Health

National Data Standard for Injury Surveillance Advisory Group

Reference documents:Help on this termBramley M, Peasley K, Langtree L and Innes K 2002. The ICD-10-AM Mental Health Manual: an integrated classification and diagnostic tool for community-based mental health services. Sydney: National Centre for Classification in Health, University of Sydney

Relational attributes

Related metadata references:Help on this term
Is used in the formation of Episode of admitted patient care—major diagnostic category, code (AR-DRG v5.1) NN
  • Health, Superseded 22/12/2009
Supersedes Episode of care—principal diagnosis, code (ICD-10-AM 4th edn) ANN{.N[N]}
  • Health, Superseded 07/12/2005
Has been superseded by Episode of care—principal diagnosis, code (ICD-10-AM 6th edn) ANN{.N[N]}
  • Health, Superseded 22/12/2009
Implementation in Data Set Specifications:Help on this term
All attributes +

Admitted patient care NMDS 2006-07Health, Superseded 23/10/2006

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2006

Implementation end date: 30/06/2007

DSS specific information:

The principal diagnosis is a major determinant in the classification of Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups and Major Diagnostic Categories.

Where the principal diagnosis is recorded prior to discharge (as in the annual census of public psychiatric hospital patients), it is the current provisional principal diagnosis. Only use the admission diagnosis when no other diagnostic information is available. The current provisional diagnosis may be the same as the admission diagnosis.

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006


Admitted patient care NMDS 2007-08Health, Superseded 05/02/2008

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2007

Implementation end date: 30/06/2008

DSS specific information:

The principal diagnosis is a major determinant in the classification of Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups and Major Diagnostic Categories.

Where the principal diagnosis is recorded prior to discharge (as in the annual census of public psychiatric hospital patients), it is the current provisional principal diagnosis. Only use the admission diagnosis when no other diagnostic information is available. The current provisional diagnosis may be the same as the admission diagnosis.

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006


Admitted patient mental health care NMDSHealth, Superseded 23/10/2006

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2006

Implementation end date: 30/06/2007

DSS specific information:

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006

Admitted patient mental health care NMDS 2007-08Health, Superseded 05/02/2008

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2007

Implementation end date: 30/06/2008

DSS specific information:

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006

Admitted patient palliative care NMDS 2006-07 Health, Superseded 23/10/2006

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2006

Implementation end date: 30/06/2007

DSS specific information:

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006

Admitted patient palliative care NMDS 2007-08Health, Superseded 05/02/2008

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2007

Implementation end date: 30/06/2008

DSS specific information:

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006

Community mental health care NMDS 2006-07Health, Superseded 23/10/2006

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2006

Implementation end date: 30/06/2007

DSS specific information:

Codes can be used from ICD-10-AM or from The ICD-10-AM Mental Health Manual: An Integrated Classification and Diagnostic Tool for Community-Based Mental Health Services, published by the National Centre for Classification in Health 2002.

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006


Community mental health care NMDS 2007-08Health, Superseded 05/02/2008

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2007

Implementation end date: 30/06/2008

DSS specific information:

Codes can be used from ICD-10-AM or from The ICD-10-AM Mental Health Manual: An Integrated Classification and Diagnostic Tool for Community-Based Mental Health Services, published by the National Centre for Classification in Health 2002.

Effective for collection from 01/07/2006


Residential mental health care NMDS 2006-07Health, Superseded 23/10/2006

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2006

Implementation end date: 30/06/2007

DSS specific information:

Codes can be used from ICD-10-AM or from The ICD-10-AM Mental Health Manual: An Integrated Classification and Diagnostic Tool for Community-Based Mental Health Services, published by the National Centre for Classification in Health 2002.

The principal diagnosis should be recorded and coded upon the end of an episode of residential care (i.e. annually for continuing residential care).

Effective for collection form 01/07/2006


Residential mental health care NMDS 2007-08Health, Superseded 05/02/2008

DSS specific attributes +

Implementation start date: 01/07/2007

Implementation end date: 30/06/2008

DSS specific information:

Codes can be used from ICD-10-AM or from The ICD-10-AM Mental Health Manual: An Integrated Classification and Diagnostic Tool for Community-Based Mental Health Services, published by the National Centre for Classification in Health 2002.

The principal diagnosis should be recorded and coded upon the end of an episode of residential care (i.e. annually for continuing residential care).

Effective for collection form 01/07/2006


Implementation in Indicators:Help on this term
Used as Numerator

National Healthcare Agreement: P22-Selected potentially preventable hospitalisations, 2010Health, Superseded 08/06/2011

National Healthcare Agreement: P41-Falls resulting in patient harm in hospitals, 2010Health, Superseded 08/06/2011

National Healthcare Agreement: P42-Intentional self-harm in hospitals, 2010Health, Superseded 08/06/2011

National Healthcare Agreement: P43-Unplanned/unexpected readmissions within 28 days of selected surgical admissions, 2010Health, Superseded 08/06/2011

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