Q: Most of the hospitals in our system make the query a progress note in the patient’s medical record. The provider puts an “X” by the appropriate answer choice and signs the note. At that point, the query is part of the permanent medical record and can be used for coding....Read More »
by Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, SFHM, CCS, CCDS
Let’s face it: Our organizations are under tremendous scrutiny. As the healthcare dollar shrinks, all payers strive to minimize patient care expenses to maintain profit margins. While the upfront denial of medical services is the...Read More »
Approximately 11 months ago, I accepted the role of the CDI manager in a facility where I formerly held a nurse executive position. Although I was new to the CDI world, I was given the role of manager based on my experience in leadership...Read More »
The ACDIS Forms & Tools Library Committee recently approved several new samples for publication in the ACDIS Resource Library. The committee also included suggestions with each sample to help those adapting these resources. Here’s what’s new in the Library:
Recently, we received a question from a member about risk factors associated with providers not taking queries seriously and providing less than helpful responses. The question really goes to the heart of physician engagement.
Q: My physicians use the term “bacteremia” frequently and are treating it. The patient may be febrile and receiving antibiotics, but they cannot figure out a source. What should they be calling it? Or, better yet, what query should I be sending?Read More »
Q: When a patient comes in with two diagnoses and the documentation reflects that either could be the principal diagnosis, do we choose the principal as the diagnosis that is being treated more intensely, or do we choose the higher paying DRG? Is it true that when a patient comes in...Read More »
