Z71: Persons encountering health services for other counselling and medical advice, not elsewhere classified

Z71.4: Alcohol abuse counselling and surveillance

Alcohol abuse counselling and surveillance, as indicated by ICD-10 code Z71.4, involves a comprehensive approach to support individuals struggling with excessive and harmful drinking habits. It commonly presents in persons who display patterns of compulsive alcohol use, such as regular heavy drinking or a preoccupation with alcohol, resulting in impaired control over their drinking, despite its negative effect on their quality of life. Counselling helps the person understand the underlying reasons for their drinking habits and offers strategies to manage situations that trigger alcohol use. Surveillance, on the other hand, often involves continuous monitoring by healthcare professionals to track the individual's progress and adjust recovery plans as necessary. This could include physical check-ups to assess the health impact brought about by their alcohol abuse, including liver dysfunction, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, and various other systems in the body that can be affected by excessive alcohol consumption.