If hospitals do not use the ICD standard, disease classification would become inconsistent, making it difficult to share and compare data across facilities, compile national health statistics, or ensure interoperability. This would lead to ineffective data analysis, wrong diagnoses, and poor treatment or disease management. It would also hinder public health surveillance, disease reporting, international research, and monitoring of morbidity and mortality by health authorities. Additionally, insurance claims and reimbursement systems that rely on standardized codes would face challenges, while clinicians, administrators, and policymakers would struggle with fragmented records, ultimately weakening healthcare delivery and policy decision-making.
