Book excerpt: Outpatient CDI team meetings and group expectations

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

Developing and maintaining a good working relationship requires a lot of effort regardless of whether the CDI team works in the inpatient or outpatient setting. A strong team is built on respect and trust, and good managers need to foster these qualities throughout its program.

To this end, outpatient CDI managers may ask staff to participate in a number of different meetings and/or assist with a variety of projects, such as:

• Regular one-on-one sessions with immediate managers and/or team leaders to discuss difficult cases, assess individual goals and professional development, and exchange ideas about new initiatives
• Weekly or biweekly team meetings where CDI and coding staff discuss cases that were either difficult to review or difficult to code (often physician advisors play a role in these meetings to identify and educate staff on disease processes, etiologies, and clinical pathways)
• Quarterly peer reviews/audits of physician queries to ensure query compliance
• Regular cross-discipline review of query templates to ensure forms capture the latest clinical references and adhere to the latest industry query guidance
• Creation of (or assistance with the creation of) regular CDI newsletters and documentation tips
• Creation of (or assistance with the creation and/or review of) regular physician education presenta­tions and supporting documentation
• Participation in population health, quality, case management, or denials management committees
• Attendance at medical staff meetings, rounds, or continuing education offerings

Most job descriptions come with the caveat “and other responsibilities as needed or defined.” Undoubtedly, the same will be true of those beginning to work in the outpatient setting as CDI professionals. Priorities will shift as new payment methods are introduced and new documentation improvement opportunities come to light. New outpatient CDI professionals will undoubtably be asked to wear multiple hats, particularly during the planning and roll-out phases of outpatient endeavors, but certainly as the outpatient program matures.

As the program begins, new CDI professionals should bring forward to the team their unique backgrounds and skillsets be they coding, clinical, quality, or CDI focused to help their program and colleagues succeed. All this may seem overwhelming, but know that this is a profession filled with supportive, caring individuals who are typically willing to lend a hand.

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from The Outpatient CDI Specialist’s Complete Training Guide.