Clarifying Principal Diagnosis, Dealing With Duplicate Codes

The questions in this month's column, taken from workshops given by the authors in this country and abroad, focus on clarifying some of the terms used in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) as well as on some coding issues. Readers are urged to submit their own questions about any aspect of DSM-III for possible publication in future columns. Questions should be addressed to Dr. Williams at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, 722 West 168th Street, New York, New York 10032.