What is the data status for the External Cause of Injury Code field?

• A. Not Used
• B. Not Applicable
• C. Required
• D. Situational

Answer: (D)

External cause information is reported only when it helps describe how an injury or health event happened. The data status is situational because E-codes should be included when there is relevant external-cause information (for example, a fall, car crash, or assault) and can be omitted when no external cause is known or applicable. It isn’t required for every encounter, nor is it never used or universally not applicable. In practice, you add the external cause code if the chart or claim contains details about the mechanism or circumstances of the event, and leave it out when there’s no such information.