Meet a Member: From hospice care to Southampton CDI

Fran Platt, BSN, RN, is the CDI manager at Southampton Hospital in New York. Though she says she’s new to CDI (she’ll be celebrating her two-year anniversary in the field this coming September), she says learning and continually growing in the CDI profession has kept her motivated. Platt is also involved with the Suffolk County (Long Island New York) ACDIS chapter.

Married, with four daughters and one son ranging in age from 13 to 31, Platt enjoys staying involved with her family’s many activities. Her two oldest daughters live in nearby Brooklyn and Manhattan; her 18-year-old daughter graduated high school this year and will be attending Fordham University; her 15-year-old daughter is a sophomore in high school; and her son will be entering 8th grade in the fall.

“They all have a ton of interests and keep me very busy,” Platt says.

CDI Journal: What did you do before entering CDI?

Platt: I was an East End hospice nurse. I absolutely loved hospice work. Working there kept me grounded and reminded me to be grateful for each day. From there, I worked on the units, including radiology, here at Southampton Hospital, and moved on to case management doing utilization review and discharge planning.

CDI Journal: Why did you get into this line of work?

Platt: Our CDI nurse was moving on to become a nurse manager, so the position became available. I was really excited, and thought it would be a good change and an opportunity to learn something new.

CDI Journal: What has been your biggest challenge?

Platt: Physician buy-in. It’s an ongoing challenge to have physicians understand what CDI is and why we’re there. I’ve been jokingly called the “chart police” and “the enemy” [by physicians]. I hope a full [electronic medical record] will help make the query response process easier for the hospitalists and residents. I want them to understand that I’m not there to make sure their T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted, and that I am a resource for them. I’m lucky enough that we are a small hospital, and I know just about all the physicians personally.

CDI Journal: What has been your biggest reward?

Platt: My biggest reward has been learning what CDI is all about and having the opportunity to continually grow in the field. My goal is to eventually become a Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist. Being a CDI nurse, I have the pleasure of working with many of the departments in my organization, including medical staff, residents, nursing, HIM, case management, etc. I love that part of my job.

CDI Journal: How has the field changed since you began working in CDI? My biggest reward has been learning what CDI is all about and having the opportunity to continually grow in the field. My goal is to eventually become a Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist.

Platt: I’m not sure how much it has changed. After two years, I still consider myself “new” because there’s still so much to learn. ICD-10 will be a big change for CDI, but I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge.

CDI Journal: Can you mention a few of the “gold nuggets” of information you’ve received from colleagues on “CDI Talk” or through ACDIS?

Platt: I don’t just have a few—I have a ton of things that I take from ACDIS via the website and also through my local chapter. I’m on [the website] every day and try to read as much of the information as I can. I also use it for my reference during my day-to-day work. My colleagues from the Suffolk County ACDIS chapter are also a wealth of information. I look forward to our meetings because I’m sure to learn something new when I attend. I leave thinking of ways to implement or use the information shared at our meetings [in my facility]. I also recently attended my first ACDIS conference in San Antonio and I found it to be highly informative, and [everything I learned will] certainly be helpful in my own scope of work. I absolutely encourage CDI specialists to attend their local chapter meetings and to take advantage of everything ACDIS has to offer.

CDI Journal: What piece of advice would you offer to a new CDI specialist?

Platt: Don’t give up! The amount of information to learn is very daunting, but keep striving, and when you feel it’s too overwhelming, take a step back and breathe.

CDI Journal: If you could have any other job, what would it be?

Platt: I would love to be an elementary school teacher. I am always amazed at how kids love to learn, and how proud they are when they do learn something new. Plus, you get the summers off—I could then work in my garden and go to the beach every day.

CDI Journal: What was your first job (what you did in high school)?

Platt: My first job was working as a clerk at the naval base in Kitsap County, Washington. I remember back then that my high school counselor encouraged me to take typing. I learned on an electric typewriter and I thought it was so technologically advanced. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be working as a CDI specialists with so much technology.

CDI Journal: Tell us about a few of your favorite things:

• Vacation spots: Guam (where I was born and raised) and Costa Rica.
• Hobby: Reading, trivia, Words With Friends (the app).
• Non-alcoholic beverage: Water. Tons of it.
• Foods: I love all kinds of food! The spicier the better!
• Activity: I love spending time with my family, swimming, and going to the beach. I also absolutely love the New York Yankees and going to games at Yankee Stadium!

Editor’s note: CDI Journal introduces an ACDIS member in each issue. If you would like to be featured, or know someone who would, please email ACDIS Editor Katherine (Katy) Rushlau at krushlau@acdis.org.