Why doctors should care where their patients live

In the last month, I have used the ICD-10 codes Z59.0 (homelessness), Z59.1 (inadequate housing) and Z59.9 (unspecified housing or economic problem) far more than I ever would have imagined. Several patients came into my urban clinic with varied chief complaints, including issues with uncontrolled asthma, chest pain, stress, worsening knee pain and sciatica. However, after listening and asking questions, I quickly realized that all of these initial complaints shared a …

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