BMI is one of the explicit ICD-10-CM exceptions permitting code assignment from documentation by a clinician other than the provider responsible for establishing the diagnosis. Therefore, the BMI of 43.6 may be taken from the dietitian's documentation, while the associated diagnosis of morbid obesity is supported by the attending physician's documentation.

The FY 2026 Official Guidelines specifically identify BMI, pressure-ulcer stage, non-pressure ulcer depth, coma scale, NIH Stroke Scale, certain social determinants, laterality, blood alcohol level, and several other elements as information that may be documented by other qualified clinicians. However, the associated diagnosis, such as obesity, must be documented by the patient's provider.

Option C incorrectly gives the dietitian's BMI documentation authority to establish the obesity diagnosis itself. Option D imposes an unnecessary discharge-summary requirement; valid diagnoses may be supported by appropriate provider documentation elsewhere in the health record according to applicable coding rules.

For CDI specialists, the key distinction is between a diagnosis and a permissible clinical detail used to further characterize that diagnosis.

CCDS Reference Topics: BMI; non-provider documentation; obesity; medical-record review; coding documentation exceptions.

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