CDI Journal - Volume 6, Issue 4

Meet a Member: Founding Ill., chapter leader was among first to pass CCDS exam

October 1, 2012
Education

Linnea Thennes, RN, BS, CCDS, works at Centegra Health System, a two-hospital system in Northern Ilinois that has plans to add a third facility. She is one of the founding members of the Northern Illinois CDI Network, which began in March 2008. Thennes is very proud to have been among the group...Read More »
CDI Strategies - Volume 6, Issue 4

News: CMS hints at possible delay in ICD-10 implementation deadline

February 16, 2012
News

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 »
CDI Journal - Volume 6, Issue 4

Comprehensive training helps new staff adjust to CDI role

October 1, 2012
CDI Management

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 »
CDI Strategies - Volume 6, Issue 4

Q&A: Review palliative care charts and query for 'comfort care' when appropriate

February 16, 2012
Ask ACDIS

Q...Read More »
CDI Journal - Volume 6, Issue 4

Four steps to physician query success

October 1, 2012
Physician Queries, Alabama

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?

Like most things...Read More »
CDI Journal - Volume 6, Issue 4

Sample physician query process

October 1, 2012
Physician Queries

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 »
CDI Journal - Volume 6, Issue 4

1,000th CDI professional passes CCDS exam

October 1, 2012
Education

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 »
CDI Journal - Volume 6, Issue 4

Prepayment review demonstration begins; CDI role in audit defense gains momentum

October 1, 2012
Quality & Regulatory

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 »

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