ICD-10 codes for human trafficking take effect

Starting today, health care providers can use any of 29 ICD-10 diagnostic codes to identify and document victims of human trafficking. The AHA鈥檚 Hospitals Against Violence initiative, in partnership with Catholic Health Initiatives and Massachusetts General Hospital鈥檚 Human Trafficking Initiative and Freedom Clinic, recently secured the codes from the National Center for Health Statistics, which will allow hospitals and health systems to better track victim needs and identify solutions to improve the health of their communities. 鈥淣urses and other health care professions play a critical role in helping victims and combating trafficking,鈥 said Claire Zangerle, RN, chief nurse executive at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh and a member of the AHA Board of Trustees. 鈥淗ospitals and health systems must be part of the solution, and these new ICD-10 codes will help.鈥 For additional hospital and health system resources to combat human trafficking, visit www.aha.org/combating-human-trafficking.