CMS acting administrator Marilyn Tavenner indicated that the agency could be considering a revision to the ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation timeline during the American Medical Association (AMA) National Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC. Tavenner also indicated that the timeline will be...Read More »
They say starting a new job can be one of the most stressful of life’s challenges. Imagine changing careers.
Ronalyn Reyes, RN, BSN, has been a CDI specialist for little more than two months. Previously employed by BlueCross BlueShield in its prior-authorization arm, she wanted to...Read More »
Over and over again, CDI specialists ask: “How do you obtain physician buy-in?”
At Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill., physician query response rate rose from roughly 50% back in its CDI program’s early days to an estimated 98% today. So how did Carle do it?
The attached HIM Query Policy and Procedure was donated by Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Ill., and was reprinted and adapted with permission.Read More »
by Beth Soule, RN, MSN, CCDS After being in the CDI field a little over a year, I ordered The CCDS Exam Study Guide and signed up to take the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) exam. I remember wondering if my seven years as a case manager or my clinical experience...Read More »
When hospitals appeal their denials they typically win. The AHA's RACTrac report indicates that hospitals appeal more than 40% of their denials with a roughly 75% success rate.
That’s where CDI professionals come in.Read More »
The following questions were answered by Melanie Haycraft, RN, CCDS, RAC government audit coordinator for North Oakes Health Systems in Hammond, La.Read More »