How should Z codes be used when an injury or illness is present?

Z codes are used primarily to capture circumstances that influence health status and contact with health services. When an injury or illness is present, Z codes generally should not be used as a primary diagnosis because they are not intended to describe a current condition or ailment. Instead, the primary diagnosis should reflect the actual injury or illness as it takes precedence in medical coding and billing.

Z codes can provide additional context about a patient's encounter, such as factors that may affect treatment or management, but they do not replace the need for a definitive diagnosis reflecting the patient's current health issue. Therefore, if there are any signs or symptoms of an injury or illness, the focus should remain on coding the primary diagnosis reflecting the actual condition being treated, without incorporating Z codes as primary in those circumstances.