Health data standards and systems

Scenario 1:Male presented with shortness of breath and subsequent chest pain and was admitted with angina due to fighting fires in the bush. As there is no mention of his being either employed as a fire fighter or acting as a volunteer, what activity code should be used? Scenario 2:Female admitted with smoke inhalation while fighting fires as a volunteer. What activity code should be used?

This query was originally published in May 2003 and retired on 30 June 2010. It was reinstated effective 1 July 2020 following a review as the advice is considered current.

When selecting an activity code to assign for fire fighting, a problem arises when the exact fire-fighting role of the patient is unknown. The patient may be employed as a firefighter, or be employed elsewhere and released for firefighting duty, or they may be a volunteer fire fighter.

Scenario 1: If it unknown whether or not the patient was employed, or was acting as a volunteer, then assign:
U73.8 Other specified activity

If the patient was fighting fires in a paid capacity, it would be correct to assign:
Activity U73.9
-work (for income) U73.09
--fire brigade services U73.08
U73.08 Other specified work for income

Scenario 2: If the patient was working as a volunteer fire fighter, and therefore not being paid for this role, it would be correct to assign:
U73.1 While engaged in other types of work