Over the past year, we’ve been asked numerous times about what it means to be an “advanced” CDI program. No forward-looking CDI program can truly advance unless (and until) a solid base is set—until it looks back over its program basics to ensure that its staff remains wellversed in query...Read More »
Development of an effective CDI program can only be achieved by tailoring the program to the unique needs of each organization. This discussion focuses on some factors that CDI managers may need to reassess or establish, regardless of whether they are...Read More »
“Determining an adequate number of staff and ensuring acceptable levels of productivity for a CDI department can be overwhelming,” according to the CDI Roadmap. The overwhelming part typically comes during the implementation stage. Here, facilities need to hone the fledgling program’s...Read More »
After anecdotes that electronic health records (EHR) cause upcoding, Julia Adler-Milstein of the University of Michigan and Ashish Jha of the Harvard School of Public Health decided to delve into the data to see if it was true. Their...Read More »
Hospitals hired nearly 13,000 more people in March than February and about 3,000 more people than a year ago, according to reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment at the nation's hospitals rose by 0.08% in March to a...Read More »
As hospital and health system finance leaders look for ways to enhance revenue in an era of shrinking margins, many turn their attention to their organization's case mix index (CMI). A higher CMI means more reimbursement dollars for providing care because it indicates that a hospital is treating...Read More »
$500,000. That’s what facilities expect as their CDI programs’ annual return on investment (ROI), according to 58% of more than 1,660 respondents to a recent ACDIS website poll. When pressed for their opinion regarding the results,...Read More »
I have found that a healthy skepticism needs to be applied within the realm of clinical documentation integrity. In fact, I am thinking of hanging “Caveat Emptor” (Latin for “buyer beware”) sign over my desk! Read More »