CDI Journal - Volume 13, Issue 1

Implementing systemwide outpatient CDI programs

January 1, 2019
ACDIS Guidance, CDI Expansion, Outpatient CDI

Even on a small scale, knowing where to start with an outpatient CDI program implementation can leave leaders at a loss. Add in the complications of a large healthcare system and things can get even hairier. With multiple sites and teams dispersed geographically, there’s a lot to consider before...Read More »
CDI Journal - Volume 13, Issue 1

Guest column: An outpatient CDI case study

January 1, 2019
ACDIS Guidance, CDI Expansion, Outpatient CDI

by Tammy Trombley, RHIT, CDIP, CCDS
Recently, an outpatient CDI review project at a large family practice/internal medicine physician clinic identified numerous coding errors on physician-coded claims. More than half of the errors affected risk adjustment for the CMS-Hierarchical...Read More »
CDI Journal - Volume 13, Issue 1

Physician advisor's corner: Complex pneumonias as an external reviewer target

January 1, 2019
ACDIS Guidance, Clinical & Coding, Denials & Appeals

by William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP
Complex pneumonias such as Gram-negative bacterial pneumonias and aspiration pneumonias segregate to a higher-weighted MS-DRG (MS-DRGs 177–179 [Respiratory Infections and Inflammations]) than simple pneumonias such as Streptococcus pneumoniae...Read More »
CDI Journal - Volume 13, Issue 1

Coding Clinic for CDI: Fourth quarter publication unpacks new codes, BMI documentation and coding

January 1, 2019
ACDIS Guidance, Clinical & Coding

by Sharme Brodie, RN, CCDS
The last quarter of the year typically includes a large number of items for the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Coding Clinic for ICD-10-CM/PCS publication. This recent release doesn’t disappoint, with a whopping 94 pages worth of material...Read More »
CDI Journal - Volume 13, Issue 1

Meet a Member: CDI specialist noticed a need for improved documentation and never looked back

January 1, 2019
Ask ACDIS, Education

Valerie Parent, RN, BSN, CCDS, CCRN-K, is employed with Norther Light Health as the CDI manager at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, and is the leader of the Maine ACDIS chapter. Parent has held her CCDS credential since 2015.Read More »
CDI Blog - Volume 12, Issue 150

Book excerpt: Clinical validation basics

December 6, 2019
ACDIS Guidance, Quality & Regulatory

by Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCDS, CDIP and Cathy Farraher, RN, MBA, CCM, CCDS

Clinical validation is a process in which diagnoses already written in the chart are reviewed by a clinical documentation specialist to ensure the corresponding clinical indicators and treatment exist...Read More »
CDI Blog - Volume 12, Issue 149

ICD-10-CM coding considerations for vaping-induced illnesses

December 3, 2019
ACDIS Guidance, Clinical & Coding, News, Policies & Procedures

As of October 1, 2019, 1080 cases of respiratory illnesses and 18 deaths brought on by vaping have been reported in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite...Read More »
CDI Blog - Volume 12, Issue 148

Book excerpt: Outpatient query guidance

November 29, 2019
ACDIS Guidance, Outpatient CDI, Physician Queries

by Tracy Boldt, RN, BSN, CCDS, CDIP, and Ellen Jantzer, RN, MSN, CCDS, CCS, CRC

The rules of compliant query practice do not change based on the setting. We must consider query con­struction and wording of provider communication with the same eye for compliance as we have...Read More »

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