What is the primary purpose of the ICD-10-CM index?

The primary purpose of the ICD-10-CM index is to facilitate code assignment for diagnoses. This index serves as a comprehensive resource that healthcare providers and coding specialists use to locate the appropriate diagnosis codes quickly and accurately.

When coding for medical diagnoses, it is essential to ensure that the correct codes are assigned to represent the patient’s condition accurately. The ICD-10-CM index is organized in a way that allows coders to search for specific terms related to diagnoses, leading them to the correct numerical code. This streamlined process of navigating through the index is crucial for proper documentation, billing, and statistical purposes within healthcare.

While other options mention aspects that may relate to coding, they do not capture the primary function of the index as effectively as facilitating code assignment for diagnoses does. Therefore, the correct understanding of the ICD-10-CM index aligns with its primary purpose, which is to help in assigning the correct codes for different diagnoses systematically.