ICD-11: What it is, When it is Coming and How it Will Differ from ICD-10

ICD (International Classification of Diseases) is a universally accepted ranking system used by the WHO (World Health Organization) for categorizing physical and mental illnesses.

ICD-11 is the eleventh edition of this categorization system. For about two decades, there have been no development or publishing of an update or revision to the ICD.

The official presentation of ICD-11 at the World Health Assembly took place in May 2019 following its release on June 18, 2018. Member states are expected to adopt it as the official reporting system starting on January 1, 2022. However, it is still unknown when the U.S. Healthcare system will be ready to adopt it for use.

ICD-11 will take over from ICD-10 as the universally accepted standard for coding death causes and important health information. Its preliminary version was released as an advanced preview so that member countries will have ample time to plan how the ICD-11 will be used, health workers can be properly trained on how to use it, and adequate translations can be retrieved.

This latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is the outcome of rigorous work, efforts, and contribution from hundreds of specialists over the course of a decade. These specialists (a total of three hundred) were divided into thirty groups across fifty-five contributory nations. Collaborative sessions and meetings were held by healthcare workers so that practical applications could be infused into the revised ICD-11. Theoretical concepts from mental health were also incorporated.

The distribution of ICD-11 is done under a creative commons license, and it is made up of about 85,000 entities commonly referred to as nodes or entities. It also contains sanctioned extensions and several synonyms.

Starting January 1, 2022, member countries of the WHO are expected to start providing detailed reports of morbidity and mortality statistics with the new convention, i.e., ICD-11. They are also expected to adopt it for insurance coding purposes.

How is ICD-11 different from ICD-10?

Largely, ICD-11 is a massive upgrade on ICD-10. For instance, while there are just eleven disorder groupings in ICD-10, ICD-11 has twenty-one disorder groupings. Another advantage that ICD-11 has over ICD-10 is in structural sophistication. In terms of chapter structure, there is no distinct disorder grouping for mental and behavioral disorders in ICD-10. The disorders categorized under this group were shifted to different disorder groupings in the more recent ICD-11 MBND chapter.

Improvements with the ICD-11 System

As earlier explained, ICD-11 was developed to address some of the obvious issues that were noticed in ICD-10. It also provided the opportunity for medical updates, advancements in medical technology, and latest discoveries to be incorporated. ICD-11 features a revised coding structure, approach to how diseases and illnesses are categorized and classified, user-friendliness, and international applicability.

● International applicability: ICD-11 is translated into forty-three different languages, and this makes it useful across different cultures. Invariably, this revised version can be used worldwide by researchers and healthcare experts as a universal coding language. This is definitely a good way to simplify international usage and comparisons.
● User-friendliness: ICD-11 is both digitally inclined and user friendly. This means it is not difficult to use or understand. Basically, it is plug and play as it syncs effectively with any software. Another advantage is that it is machine-readable.
● Dimensional approach: The adoption of dimensional approach is another upgrade ICD-11 has over ICD-10. This means updates, changes, and developments are captured effectively. It also has a positive impact on recovery from illnesses and ailments.

A Few Diagnoses that were added to ICD-11:

● Complex PTSD
● Gaming disorder
● Prolonged grief disorder
● Attention deficit disorder
● Compulsive sexual behavior disorder

A Few Diagnoses that were removed from ICD-11:

● Personality disorders
● Gender incongruence
● Acute stress disorder

For more information on ICD-11, visit the World Health Organization.

View all Articles by: Melissa Clark, CCS-P