With ICD-11 on the horizon, now is the perfect time to look at how coding systems have transformed over the years and what healthcare leaders can expect from the next major update.
For years, the U.S. used ICD-9, a coding system with just 14,000 diagnosis codes. But, as medicine advanced, ICD-9 couldn’t keep up. It lacked the precision to capture complex conditions, new treatments, and the social factors that shape health outcomes.
The transition to ICD-10 changed that, giving providers more than 68,000 diagnosis codes. New codes reflected medical innovations, accounted for disease severity, and even recognized social determinants of health (SDOH) with entries such as Z59.00 for homelessness.
For providers, the transition was challenging. They had to adjust workflows, learn new documentation practices, and implement technology upgrades to handle the expanded code set. However, the benefits of implementing ICD-10 were significant, including fewer coding errors, improved data for public health and quality programs, and better risk adjustment models for payment and care management.
Over the years, ICD-10 has continued to evolve to keep pace with medical advances, changing care delivery models, and new policy priorities. The 2025–2026 ICD-10-CM update, for example, will add 487 new codes, revise 38 codes, and retire 28 codes, ensuring the system reflects emerging clinical needs. Similarly, the July 2025 HCPCS updates introduced new codes for drugs, biologics, and skilled nursing facilities, as well as changes for labs and prosthetics. Each update brings opportunities for better data capture, but also requires ongoing investments in training, compliance, and workflow adaptation.
If ICD-10 moved coding into the modern era, ICD-11 builds on that foundation with capabilities designed for a more connected, data-driven system. Released by the World Health Organization in 2022, ICD-11 is a digital-first, globally harmonized standard built for precision, interoperability, and advanced analytics.
The most notable changes include:
These upgrades mean ICD-11 can support real-time decision-making, integrate more seamlessly with electronic health records, and enable richer population health insights. By capturing both clinical and non-clinical factors in greater depth, it allows health systems to address not only disease, but also the broader social and environmental drivers of health outcomes.
Although the United States has not set a date for adopting ICD-11, healthcare organizations can take steps now to prepare for the shift. Early preparation will minimize disruption and position organizations to take full advantage of the new system when it arrives.
Key steps include:
ICD-11 isn’t just the next chapter in coding; it’s part of a broader shift toward healthcare systems that learn, adapt, and connect in real time. As data becomes more precise and more global, the real question for healthcare leaders isn’t when ICD-11 will arrive, but how ready they will be to use it to make both care delivery and administration more efficient and effective.
Learn more about how Nym is transforming medical coding.