Meet a Member: “Just enjoy the journey!”

Lynette Kutz, RN, BSN, CCDS, is a CDI specialist at Advocate Aurora Health in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. She’s been in the CDI field for nine years.

ACDIS: What did you do before entering CDI? Why did you get into this line of work?
Kutz: I was a nurse on the cardiac unit and same day surgery/post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). I just felt drawn to CDI when I heard about it, so I pursued it.

ACDIS: What has been your biggest challenge? What about your biggest reward?
Kutz: Provider pushback has been the biggest challenge. But I feel like my previous experiences all combined to make this job exactly what I was meant to do, and I enjoy it so much! I am always learning new things.

ACDIS: How has the field changed since you began working in CDI?
Kutz: We started out with paper queries, then changed to an EHR, and then added encoder.

ACDIS: Can you mention a few of the “gold nuggets” of information you’ve received from colleagues on The Forum or through ACDIS?
Kutz: I get information about any ICD-10 updates or industry changes from the quarterly calls and I just learned some new information on pressure injuries from a recent ACDIS Podcast episode.   

Reading ACDIS Blogs and Forum posts, listening to webinars and podcasts, and going to conferences keeps re-fueling my enthusiasm for CDI—I highly recommend ACDIS!

ACDIS: If you have attended, how many ACDIS conferences have you been to? What are your favorite memories?
Kutz: I attended ACDIS national conference in 2017 in Las Vegas. I learned about what to look for in the operative note for gastrointestinal surgeries, learned about a CDI/coding alliance tool, and what to look for in an obstetrics chart.

I’m speaking at the ACDIS conference this year for this first time, so I hope to see you there! 

ACDIS: What piece of advice would you offer to a new CDI specialist?
Kutz: It may seem like there is a lot to learn but don’t be intimidated, you will keep learning as you go—just enjoy the journey! Join ACDIS and take advantage of all the online resources and networking it offers.

ACDIS: If you could have any other job, what would it be?
Kutz: Nothing I’d rather do! This is what I was born to do—I love CDI.  

ACDIS: What was your first job?
Kutz: I was a dishwasher at age 14 and then became a waitress.

ACDIS: Can you tell us about a few of your favorite things?

• Vacation spots: Fort Myers Beach, Florida.
• Hobbies: Visiting State Parks and kayaking.
• Non-alcoholic beverage: Iced tea.
• Foods: Cheese, meat, and veggies on the grill,  
• Activities: Playing games, camping, and walking with my husband and dog.

ACDIS: Tell us about your family and how you like to spend your time away from CDI.
Kutz: My husband Matt works in the dairy industry/genomics. We have three wonderful children, Sam (23), Max (20), and Madelyn (20), and an adorable Yorkie, Chewie (ChuChu).