by Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, SFHM, CCS, CCDS
In 2015, I wrote 44 appeal letters challenging DRG validation/coding denials. In 2016, I wrote 88 appeal letters. Last year, I penned 159. We already received more than 40 DRG validation denials in January of this year. Does this trend...Read More »
As the CDI profession matures, programs are instituting career ladders to create advanced positions for seasoned CDI professionals looking for a change in their responsibilities. Whether it be the addition of a second–level reviewer, an educator, or even an informaticist, the options for CDI...Read More »
Jose M. Gonzalez O’Neill, MSHIM, RHIA, is the vice president of the Florida ACDIS chapter, and HIM service line manager for medical transcription and inpatient coding at a large hospital system in the Orlando area.Read More »
FEATURES
8 CDI crystal ball: Gazing into the profession’s future
13 Becoming a CDI professional: Tips for getting started
15 Outpatient CDI: Getting up and running
22 Minimizing traumatic CDI experiences with trauma reviews
30 Welcome to the incoming Chapter...Read More »
By Melissa Varnavas
Last year, in the January/February edition of the Journal, we suggested CDI professionals focus on growth for the “year of the rooster.” (In case you’re wondering, 2018 is the year of the dog according to the Chinese zodiac.) And that’s what it seemed like...Read More »
by Paul Evans, RHIA, CCDS, CCS, CCS-P
We have seen our industry grow increasingly complicated each year. With that increased complexity, we also see greater sophistication among our colleagues’ skill levels.
CDI professionals now specialize in quality reviews for hospital–...Read More »
Outpatient. Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCC). Quality. Value-based purchasing. Pediatric. Interdisciplinary, integrated CDI response and analysis. Such topics have been the buzzwords of the industry for many years, and for good reason.
Regulatory shifts associated with the 2010...Read More »
Though larger facilities may have had CDI programs for years—some for over a decade—others are only starting now. When the first CDI departments formed, they focused on CC/MCC capture and DRG assignment for accurate reimbursement, but over the years, things like value-based purchasing and...Read More »