In the ICD-10-PCS coding system, how many values does the second character typically have for the Administration section?

In the ICD-10-PCS coding system, the Administration section specifically deals with the performance of therapeutic, diagnostic, and other types of management procedures involving substances such as medications. The second character of a code in this section is used to identify the specific type of substance that is being administered.

Typically, the second character has a limited set of values to represent the various categories of substances. In the Administration section, there are generally two values associated with the second character: one for a specific technique used for administration and another for a different type of substance or method. This allows coders to capture meaningful details about the administration performed, such as whether it was an injection or infusion of a drug.

This structure and specific assignment of two values facilitate clearer communication of the procedures performed, which is essential for healthcare documentation and billing. It is important to understand that while there may be multiple combinations of codes due to the additional characters representing other elements, the second character in the Administration section is consistently limited to two values.