ACDIS tip: Starting out in CDI
ACDIS staff often receive inquiries from those interested in breaking into the CDI field.
A dozen years ago, a nurse, coding professional, or case manager might have fallen into the opportunity—being asked to “look into this CDI thing” and “get something started.” Where once there were one or two CDI professionals to an organization, the department itself is frequently seen as an indispensable part of the quality and revenue teams in most healthcare systems today.
Although the profession has grown, joining the CDI ranks isn’t necessarily easy and it’s not for the faint of heart. There’s a lot to learn. Those coming from a clinical background need to learn not only coding rules and regulations but the backdrop of billing and healthcare reimbursement, quality care initiatives and how they affect payment structures. Those hailing from coding backgrounds often need additional training in disease processes, clinical foundations, and comorbid conditions.
ACDIS designed the CDI Apprenticeship program to help with these fundamentals, to offer those seeking to step into CDI a low-cost way to explore what it means to be a CDI specialist, to get their feet wet and hands a bit dirty to determine if this is truly the career path for them.
The online library of courses includes five sessions dedicated to key concepts and responsibilities of the CDI specialist and four focused on clinical conditions that every CDI specialist must master such as sepsis, congestive heart failure, respiratory failure, and malnutrition.
After completion of the courses and successfully passing the final quiz, participants receive a certificate and may designate themselves as an ACDIS-Approved CDI Apprentice in resumes, biographical information, or email signatures—such designation demonstrates to potential employers that an individual has foundational knowledge of CDI.
Folks who’ve taken the course not only learned a lot but got a jump on their job search. “I'm really enjoying your apprentice program,” said one coding professional who recently received the CDI Apprentice designation. “It’s very informative and the information covers every area that’s needed to be addressed. I don't have any negative response concerning the program. I’m just so happy you guys came up with this. This is a tough field to break into without experience. I personally feel this certification is going to open doors for me!”
If you’d like to learn more about the Apprenticeship, visit the dedicated section on our website by clicking here.