Meet a Member: Seeing the patient’s true story in the record is her reward

Christine Donnamiller, RN, ACDIS-approved CDI Apprentice, is a CDI specialist at Avita Health System in Ontario, Ohio, and a member of the Ohio ACDIS local chapter. She has been in the CDI field for two and a half years.

ACDIS: What did you do before entering CDI? Why did you get into this line of work?
Donnamiller: Before CDI, I was a clinical quality supervisor in the home health setting.

I love or should I say I am very passionate about searching for the irrefutable truth, the verity of the patient record, so CDI was appealing to me. Patients deserve the true account of the care received. This ties values, ethics and principles all into one. I enjoy the challenges that go along with finding these and populating these details into a compliant query.

ACDIS: What has been your biggest challenge?
Donnamiller: Physicians who refuse to answer queries!

ACDIS: What has been your biggest reward?
Donnamiller: Orders being changed for treatment based on new information in the record from a query response. New diagnoses being added, with the corresponding treatments. The truth of the record is rewarding.

ACDIS: How has the field changed since you began working in CDI?
Donnamiller: CDI is more widespread, and more and more agencies are employing CDI.

ACDIS: Can you mention a few of the “gold nuggets” of information you’ve received from colleagues on The Forum or through ACDIS?
Donnamiller: There was an episode of the ACDIS Podcast back in October 2018 that I still think about frequently. It was about denials and appeals. I learned that if the documentation includes clinical indicators for severe sepsis, then we should query. If the documentation says severe sepsis, then chances of the audit are less if only sepsis is coded.

When you do get a denial, fight it! Insurance companies will realize that you are not going to just throw in the towel.

ACDIS: What piece of advice would you offer to a new CDI specialist?
Donnamiller: Put your nose to the grindstone, find what you do best and what you do not do best. Learn everything you can and keep learning. Do not be afraid to ask the question!

ACDIS: If you could have any other job, what would it be?
Donnamiller: Teaching all I’ve learned and know about CDI!

ACDIS: What was your first job?
Donnamiller: Babysitting at 11 years old. I made $5 an hour, which was unheard of back then.

I worked as a busgirl at age 12 at a local restaurant clearing tables while my mom was a waitress as well.

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

• Vacation spots: I enjoy visiting my father in Florida—perfect vacation with warm weather, biking, swimming, cooking and heated pools!
• Hobbies: Riding horses, taking care my Bernese Mountain Dogs, spending time with my grandchildren.
• Non-alcoholic beverage: Vermont ginger tea.
• Foods: Popcorn cooked the old fashion way on the stovetop with real butter.
• Activities: Breeding Bernese Mountain Dogs is my passion. I just love the puppies, riding horses, and anything with my grandchildren.

ACDIS: Tell us about your family and how you like to spend your time away from CDI.
Donnamiller: My husband and I have been married for 14 years and we have four children and three grandchildren. We try to take a family vacation every couple of years, thanks to my husband Roger—he is a great family man! I enjoy anything outdoors like swimming in our pond, gardening, walking the dogs, hiking, four-wheeling, and I’d like to start a butterfly garden.