Incapacity for work: Understanding AU: What the code on the sick note means

Berlin
Each AU has a combination of letters and numbers. Do you know the meaning of this code? All information for you at a glance.

Employees who become ill must report this to work. The process is uncomplicated: You go to the doctor and they put one in Certificate of incapacity for work (AU) out of. In addition to personal data about the patient and the length of the illness, the sick note also contains a diagnosis. However, this is not described in words, but encoded as a code.

Most people have probably seen such an abbreviation on the AU before – it is a mix of a letter and various numbers. But very few people know which disease the respective abbreviations stand for and who else can see this diagnosis in addition to the doctor. In the context of data protection and privacy, however, it is sometimes important what the information on the notification of illness mean and how they are used.

Code in the sick note: This is behind the abbreviation on the AU

In order for diseases and health problems to be understood worldwide, a unified classification system developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is called the “International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems”, or “ICD” for short.

In Germany The “ICD-10-GM” applies, where the “GM” stands for “German Modification” (adaptation to German conditions) and the “10” for the tenth version of this classification. All contract medical and contract psychotherapeutic

doctors
psychotherapists as well
facilities

are obliged to encode diagnoses according to this system. There is already an eleventh version, the introduction of which is being planned. Diseases in Germany are currently being treated according to the code list of “ICD-10-GM” encrypted:

Chapter	code	health information
1	A00-B99	Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
2	C00-D48	neoplasms
3	D50-D90	Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune system
4	E00-E90	Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
5	F00-F99	Mental illnesses and behavioral disorders
6	G00-G99	diseases of the nervous system
7	H00-H59	Diseases of the eye and the ocular appendages
8th	H60-H95	Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
9	I00-I99	diseases of the circulatory system
10	J00-J99	diseases of the respiratory system
11	K00-K93	Digestive system diseases
12	L00-L99	Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
13	M00-M99	Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
14	N00-N99	Diseases of the genitourinary system
15	O00-O99	Pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum
16	P00-P96	Certain conditions that have their origins in the perinatal period
17	Q00-Q99	Congenital malformations, deformities and chromosomal abnormalities
18	R00-R99	Symptoms and abnormal clinical laboratory findings not elsewhere classified
19	S00-T98	Injuries, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
20	V01-Y84	External causes of morbidity and mortality
21	Z00-Z99	Factors influencing the state of health and leading to the utilization of the health care system
22	U00-U99	Key numbers for special purposes

Each of these chapters can be divided into further sub-chapters, the individual Diseases encrypt. For example, the code “J00” stands for “acute rhinopharyngitis”, also known as the common cold. And the code “J03.0” stands for “streptococcal tonsillitis”, a bacterial tonsillitis with certain pathogens – the streptococci.

Sick leave: This happens with the data on your AU

Particular Data on the sick note are not only visible to the health insurance company, but also to the employer. These include:

Surname
Beginning and end of incapacity for work
Date of determination of incapacity for work
Indication of whether it is a first or subsequent certificate
Indication of whether it was an accident (e.g. an accident at work) and its consequences, if any

But what not everyone can see on the sick note is the reason for your illness. It is theoretically a code on the AU, but also the encrypted one diagnosis Only you and your health insurance company see your doctor. Your employer never has this information unless you share it with them yourself.

AU from the doctor: Does the electronic sick note change anything?

In the past, patients were given the AU in triplicate on paper. In 2023, this process was digitized. In the case of a sick note, there is now the electronic AU, “eAU” for short. The privacy of the patient is also protected. No information is given on the nature of the disease and diagnosis. Further information on the electronic AU can be found here.