Back to Basics: Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) ICD-10-CM Z Codes and Documentation

To assist organizations in the collection of SDOH ICD-10-CM Z codes specific to persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances, Superior Health Quality Alliance developed an ICD-10-CM Z code guide. The guide supports the consistent collection of Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) by using standardized diagnosis codes, while building a database of community-specific needs. The guide also offers resources to connect patients with community and health care related supports – helping to reduce hospital readmissions and emergency department utilization).

This Back to Basics series: Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) ICD-10-CM Z Codes and Documentation discusses:

• Who can document ICD-10-CM Z codes​.
• The importance of capturing Social Drivers (determinants) of Health (SDOH) in the patient's Medical Record, including Electronic Health Records (EHRs)​.
• Identifying which ICD-10-CM Z codes are eligible for third-party billing​.
• Connecting patients with additional support when gaps are identified in socioeconomic and psychosocial areas.