Conference Update: Speaker Q&A

As you put the final touches on your itinerary, we’re continuing to preview some of speakers to give you a feel for this year’s sessions. This week, we spoke with Kelli A. Estes, RN, CCDS, who, along with Cesar M. Limjoco, MD, will present, “Go After the Truth, the Clinical Truth—That’s What Matters at the End of the Day.”

Q: Why is it important for CDI specialists and coders to capture conditions based on clinical truth?

A: At the end of the day, the clinical truth—the documented evidence within the medical record regarding the patient’s conditions—will be what helps the facility stand up in the face of auditor scrutiny. Although metrics and productivity are very important, CDI specialists must use caution when allowing those things to dictate the overall quality of their performance when querying providers. For example, if two out of the four Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria are satisfied, we all too often see CDI specialists’ query for sepsis, even though it may not be clinically supported. The SIRS criteria are to be considered a screening tool, not a diagnostic tool.

Q: How is your topic important for everyone in the CDI role, regardless of professional background?

A: Doing the right thing for the right reason will always yield results which benefits everyone involved. Additionally, publicly-reported data will more truthfully reflect of how sick patients are in any given organization, while the appropriate financials will match resource utilization more accurately.

Q: How did you become interested in CDI?

A: I began working in CDI in 2000 for a regional hospital in Kentucky. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what I was getting into. But, as I began to grow in my knowledge base and build relationships with the coding department, I quickly recognized this unique opportunity to make a real difference in the outcomes of patient data. I began to understand enough about coding to assist providers with improving their documentation, to more accurately reflect how sick their patients actually are while still in the acute care setting. It was easy to see the different perspectives between the providers and the coders, but they needed someone, a CDI specialist, to help close the gap.

Q: What do you think is the most important quality for a CDI professional to have?

A: Relationship building with providers is one of the most important assets any CDI specialist can bring to the table. However, critical thinking skills in the clinical arena are extremely important as well.

Q: Why do you think attending the ACDIS conference is important?

A: I’ve personally attended every ACDIS conference since the beginning. The value in networking with others in your field is always valuable, as well as having the opportunity to choose from a variety of breakout sessions to glean helpful information applicable to the constant flow of changes healthcare faces. In addition, it is a great way to meet the requirements for the CCDS certification renewal.