The development of ICD-10-PCS incorporates an attribute of completeness, meaning what?

The attribute of completeness in the context of ICD-10-PCS ensures that there are unique codes assigned for each substantially different procedure. This means that the coding system is designed to provide detailed and specific codes that accurately represent the wide variety of surgical interventions and procedures performed. Such specificity is important for various stakeholders, including healthcare providers and insurers, as it allows for clear communication, proper billing, and effective data analysis.

By having unique codes for different procedures, ICD-10-PCS enhances the granularity of medical coding, facilitating more precise clinical documentation and better tracking of healthcare services. This structure helps in distinguishing between procedures that may seem similar but have significant differences in terms of technique, approach, or complexity. For example, two different surgical approaches to the same condition would receive different codes to reflect their unique characteristics.

The other options do not embody the attribute of completeness within the ICD-10-PCS system. Modifying codes would undermine the integrity of the coding system, applying codes only to outpatient services would limit comprehensiveness, and having all codes be universal would ignore the need for specificity in diverse healthcare settings. Thus, the correct answer highlights the essential feature of completeness in the ICD-10-PCS coding system.