Clinical validation is definitely a hot topic in CDI right now. According to the 2017 CDI Industry Survey (which will be made available during CDI Week), 85.13% of respondents sent at least one to five clinical validation queries in the last month. Yet, only 41.81% have a policy governing these...Read More »
Although the transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS was fairly smooth, two years later billing and coding experts say that, in most cases, the codes are not being put to their intended use.Read More »
Q: We recently reviewed a troubling case related to sepsis core extractions which revealed that the patient did not have sepsis and the physicians did not document sepsis as there was no bacterial infection. The CDI specialist, however...Read More »
Q: After a video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VAT) procedure, a patient is usually receiving high flow oxygen. What circumstance might prompt a CDI specialist to query for acute respiratory failure in this situation? Read More »
Q:I’ve heard some conflicting advice regarding code group B95-B97, bacterial and viral infectious agents. I’ve heard that those codes don’t provide a CC or MCC as a secondary diagnosis in most cases. I’ve also heard that...Read More »
CMS released the 2018 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) proposed rule last week on Thursday, July 13. With CDI programs increasingly looking at outpatient records, the need to read and digest the OPPS proposed rule has never been greater. This particular proposed rule, however,...Read More »
