Meet a Member: Fostering a better coding-CDI relationship is one of her biggest rewards

Erica Braun, MS, BSN, RN, CCDS, is the manager of inpatient coding and clinical documentation at Nebraska Methodist Health System in Omaha. She has been in the CDI field for nine years.

ACDIS: What did you do before entering CDI? Why did you get into this line of work?
Braun: Prior to CDI, I had been working in orthopedics/neurology for nine years.

When I got into CDI, at the time I was honestly looking for a job that was Monday through Friday, regular 8-hour shifts. My family situation changed, and I couldn’t do 12-hour shifts any longer. Our organization was just implementing a CDI program and after I applied (since I just wanted normal hours) I then researched CDI and thought it sounded very interesting!

ACDIS: What has been your biggest challenge?
Braun: Trying to work to get our organization to have some standardization on diagnosis criteria.

ACDIS: What has been your biggest reward?
Braun: Seeing the impact that we make towards the accuracy of coded data and the medical record. Also, we have integrated coding and CDI into one team and that has been very rewarding.

ACDIS: How has the field changed since you began working in CDI?
Braun: When we first started working in CDI, it was all about the “low hanging fruit.” CDI is a field that is constantly evolving. Gone are the days of trying to capture one CC or MCC. We have expanded our expertise and knowledge so much now that we aren’t as focused on reimbursement and CC/MCC capture, but it’s about getting the record correct. Documentation integrity!

ACDIS: Can you mention a few of the “gold nuggets” of information you’ve received from colleagues on The Forum or through ACDIS?
Braun: I think the main thing is both the ACDIS Forum and the ACDIS conference reinforces what we are doing in our organization to stay up-to-date with industry standards and trends. I log onto the website several times a week and soak up every bit of information in the articles, Journal, the Forums, and the other ways to get CDI information!

ACDIS: If you have attended, how many ACDIS conferences have you been to? What are your favorite memories?
Braun: I have been to two conference so far (2017 and 2018). I thoroughly enjoyed all the sessions. In 2017, I focused on the outpatient track and this past year, I attended mostly quality sessions. They were all so helpful and I came back with a lot of ideas for our program. I also enjoyed ZDoggMD’s performance. It was very entertaining! I also enjoyed networking with other CDI professionals in the industry.

ACDIS: What piece of advice would you offer to a new CDI specialist?
Braun: One of the most important things you can do it to focus on relationships. Work to establish professional relationships with physicians and the coders. As for physician relationships, prioritize that face-to-face communication so you are not just a name on an electronic query. It will make future education sessions and asking questions of those physicians more productive.

ACDIS: If you could have any other job, what would it be?
Braun: Well, I think I’d make a fantastic princess, but I would also like to own my own coffee shop.

ACDIS: What was your first job?
Braun: I worked at a lotion store at the mall.

ACDIS: Can you tell us about a few of your favorite things?

• Vacation spots: Colorado
• Hobby: Reading
• Non-alcoholic beverage: Coffee
• Foods: Peanut butter
• Activity: Hiking

ACDIS: Tell us about your family and how you like to spend your time away from CDI.
Braun: My husband Steven and I have three amazing kids (Ava—age 12, Isaac—age 13, and Sabrina—age 17). In our spare time, we really just enjoy spending time together as a family. This can mean a family vacation, going to the zoo, or just hanging out in the living room.

ACDIS: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Braun: I think for a successful coder/CDI relationship to thrive, each team member must understand their role and recognize that CDI specialists and coders each have their area of expertise and to respect that from one another’s role.