Block 38 on AF Form 560 is used to identify which information?

• A. Block 40, Administrative data
• B. Block 38, Diagnosis-Procedures
• C. Block 33, Primary admission diagnosis
• D. Block 41, Disposition

Answer: (B)

Block 38 is where you identify the diagnoses and procedures for the patient encounter. This section captures the clinical coding: all the diagnoses assigned (primary and secondary) and the procedures performed during the stay. It is dedicated to the medical information about what the patient has and what was done, separate from administrative details, the main reason for admission, or the disposition.

To put it in context, the administrative data are stored in another block, the primary admission diagnosis notes the single main reason for admission, and the disposition records how the stay ended. The Diagnosis-Procedures block is the place that consolidates the clinical data needed for coding, reporting, and billing.