In today’s blog post, we’re going to talk about the ‘Full Code’ and its importance in the lives of healthcare professionals. We’ll also take you through some examples to make it easy for you to understand its use and the impact it has on patient care.
The healthcare industry has yet to come up with a formal definition for a ‘Full Code’ or ‘No Code’. However, let’s take you through it in simpler words.
What Is a Full Code?
When a patient is admitted to a hospital, their doctor asks what would they want in case of a cardiovascular or pulmonary arrest. If they opt for Full Code, also known as ‘code,’ in case their heart stops pumping, or they stop breathing, a team of medical professionals will do everything possible to save their life in a medical emergency.
Healthcare professionals will start life-saving processes like giving CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), oxygen to ease breathing, inserting a breathing tube, or using an automated external defibrillator (AED).
What Is a No Code?
A No Code is the opposite of Code or Full Code and, in medical terms, is known as a ‘Do Not Resuscitate Order’ (DNR). It is an order that tells the medical team not to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation or any other kind of intervention technique in case the patient suffers from cardiac or respiratory arrest.
Simply saying, medical professionals or paramedics will not intervene to try and bring the patient back. They won’t try to keep the patient alive or normalize their heartbeat in case the heart stops pumping, or they stop breathing.
P.S: It is important to note that physicians will opt for a default code in case they don’t have clear instructions regarding a patient’s code status. This means medical professionals or paramedics will try their utmost to keep the patient alive.
What Does the Term ‘Code’ Even Mean?
Now that you’re aware of the Full Code and No Code, let’s take you through a broader term called ‘Code’. Many of you may already be acquainted with terms like ‘Code Blue,’ ‘Code Red’, and ‘Code Black.’ For those of you who don’t have any idea about these color terms, let us explain them.
Technically speaking, there are no formal definitions or strict explanations of the term ‘Code’ and even the sub-terms or code designations like ‘Code Blue’, ‘Code Red’ and ‘Code Black’. Every hospital, clinic, or practice using a ‘Code’ may decide how to apply them. Clinics, hospitals, and physicians use the most related sub-terms to refer to a range of emergencies.
For Instance:
- Many hospitals and practices may use ‘Code Blue’ to point toward cardiopulmonary arrest, although they may not refer to the exact condition everywhere.
- ‘Code Red’ refers to instances involving fire or smoke.
- ‘Code Pink’ is used to signify an emergency scenario where a baby is missing from the hospital or children’s ward.
- ‘Code Black’ points towards an unwanted situation involving a bomb threat or a shooter.
Most importantly, it is not only hospitals or medical practices that use the ‘code’ to indicate an emergency. Educational institutes and buildings like schools, colleges, and public offices may also use code designations to alert concerned people about emergencies.
Outcome of Resuscitation
Cardiac arrest is normally referred to as a scenario when the patient’s heart stops beating. Every year, more than 350,000 cases of cardiopulmonary arrest happen before the patient reaches the hospital or a medical clinic. Meaning the survival rate is less than 12 percent. However, timely CPR enhances the survival rate by double or triple.
It is worth noting that although careful CPR can prolong a patient’s life, it may act as a double-edged sword and even prolong the dying process. The resuscitative efforts to bring someone back to life aren’t as magical as shown on TV. The stats show something far from expectations. For instance, the survival rate in adults after a heart arrest was:
- 12% out of hospital
- Less than 25% in-hospital
- The average rate of surviving and being discharged from the hospital for adults who experience in-hospital arrest is between 17% and 20%.
- Older adults aged around and above 60 years of age suffering from cancer, renal failure, or liver failure have less chance of survival.
- Patients suffering from a chronic ailment or advanced sickness have survival rates of 5% or less than 1%, respectively.
- More than 40% of the patients who survive are released with a remarkable decline in their functional ability.
Examples of Full Code Situations
After getting acquainted with full code meaning, how it works, and color types, let’s take you through different situations where these terms are used.
Cardiac Arrest
When a patient experiencing cardiac arrest or symptoms of serious cardiovascular issue arrives at your practice, according to full code status, your paramedical staff should initiate chest compressions. Apart from that, they must administer other life support techniques necessary. These include a defibrillator to normalize their heart functioning.
Respiratory Failure
A patient visiting your hospital or practice suffering from severe respiratory distress will automatically be designated a full code to cope with their critical condition. If such a scenario arises, the paramedics will start with oxygen therapy and provide ventilator support to improve the respiratory functioning of the patient to ease their breathing process.
Advanced Cancer
For those suffering from advanced cancer, their declining condition may make way for a more ethical and broader discussion regarding their code status. Simply put, conditions like advanced cancer come with a poor prognosis. So, the likelihood of surviving or seeing betterment in the patient’s condition is relatively low.
In such a situation, the physician may have a discussion with the patient to know their preferences regarding end-of-life care including a chat about life-sustaining treatment. So, if a patient wants full code even if their condition is deteriorating, they want every possible measure to save their life if a medical emergency strikes. These include cardiac arrest or respiratory failure.
The precautionary measures in such worsening conditions may depend on the exact situation of the patient. However, the measures will include treatments like CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and other interventions to extend the life of the patient.
What is DNR?
The complete form of DNR is Do Not Resuscitate, and refers to a written order a physician mentions in the patient’s medical documents to instruct paramedics not to revive a patient even if their heartbeat or respiratory issue is lethal.
Simply put, it is a direct order not to begin and administer life-saving procedures in case of a life emergency. Normally, DNR instructions are added to a patient’s health record who is seriously ill or is vulnerable to a medical crisis.
What is DNI?
DNI stands for Do Not Incubate and matches a DNR order but with additional interventions. A DNI permit from the patient allows physicians, nurses, and other assisting staff to attempt a cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedure to revive a patient.
The CPR method includes administering chest compressions and cardiac drugs. However, it prevents the staff from placing a breathing tube. A large majority of people opt for the DNI option to stay safe from potential complications that may occur from a breathing tube and ventilator dependence.
DNR Vs. CPR: The Best of the Two
CPR in modern healthcare is more than just mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and conventional chest compression. Technological advancements and innovations have brought in more effective life-saving options like an electric shock with paddles on the chest, mechanical assistance from a ventilator open-chest heart massage, and injecting medications directly into the heart.
CPR may not always work like it is supposed to be and may worsen the patient’s condition.
CPR Actions may include:
- Chest Compressions
- Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
- Emergency Medications
- Breathing tube and machine
- Electric shock to the heart
Why Opt for Full Code?
Following are some of the reasons why choosing Full Code is beneficial.
- When life support is required for a limited time until the body starts functioning on its own.
- In case cancer or any other life-threatening illness is curable, and the benefits of the treatment administered outnumber the risks involved.
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation helps to revive the heart and lungs during a medical event, allowing the paramedical staff more time to treat the primary ailment.
I-Med Claims to The Help with Full Code Scenarios
Handling Full Code scenarios for your hospital, practice, or healthcare clinic can be challenging. When dealing with these situations, it is essential to accurately document all the interventions administered. This precision helps you stay safe from claim denials.
As a healthcare provider, documenting these sorts of administrative tasks is not only time-consuming but complex, too. These tasks engage your staff and may result in a lack of resources, especially when you have a small team and managing a hectic schedule.
This is where outsourcing your medical billing and coding needs to a leading medical billing company like I-Med Claims comes in handy. Medical billing companies ensure correct coding and precise documentation related to intervention procedures like life-saving measures, CPR, intubation, or even administration of medications.
They promise correct claim creation and submission to guarantee full reimbursement from the payors. If you’re also looking to outsource complex billing for full-code scenarios, I-Med Claims is here to simplify your operations. We have a highly experienced and professional team of billing experts who’ll handle all administrative conundrums and ensure every claim is paid timely.
