Note from the ACDIS Editor: CDI Journal provides a study guide for a changing environment

By Linnea Archibald

As of October 1, 2018, the fiscal year (FY) 2019 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) took effect, along with a whole slew of code changes and CC/MCC updates. That wasn’t the only change for CDI, though. And that’s what the November/December edition of the CDI Journal is all about.

Those working in CDI know the ground is always shifting—from new regulations, to added duties, to new settings. On the regulatory side of things, readers will learn how to deal with the new version of CMS hierarchical condition categories on both the inpatient and outpatient side of things, how to apply the advice in  Coding Clinic, Third Quarter 2018, how to apply the APR-DRG system and understand severity of illness and risk of mortality scores.

Additionally, this edition of the Journal includes several articles related to CDI specialist’s expanding role and how CDI professionals can make a difference for their organization and the broader community. Readers will learn how they can submit questions to Coding Clinic to enact positive change, how mortality reviews can affect your organization’s publicly reported quality data, how to collaborate with colleagues during the concurrent coding process, and how to help physicians with the complexities related to the EHR.

For those looking for a deep dive into common clinical conundrums, this edition also holds articles from Richard Pinson, MD, FACP, CCS, and Cynthia Tang, RHIA, CCS, on the latest malnutrition definition, and from Cesar M. Limjoco, MD, on the confusing world of sepsis definitions.

Of course, the November/December issue also includes some of our usual articles: Associate Editorial Director Melissa Varnavas discusses all the changes surrounding CDI, Advisory Board member Sam Antonios, MD, MMM, FACP, SFHM, CPE, CCDS, explains why CDI needs to stay focus on the “customer,” Boot Camp Instructor Allen Frady, RN, BSN, CCDS, CCS, CRC, answers a member’s question on the ACDIS Forum, and one of our ACDIS members shares her CDI story and advice for new professionals.

The ACDIS team hopes you’ll enjoy this latest edition and find something of value inside. The January/February edition will focus on interdepartmental collaboration and expansion, so if you have an article idea or a story you’d like to suggest or share, please feel free to email me.

Editor’s note: Archibald is the editor for ACDIS. Contact her at larchibald@acdis.org.