by Sarah Nehring, CCS, CCDS
The last thing a query writer wants is to provoke a defensive response, but in the current healthcare environment, with denials on the rise, CDI specialists, as well as clinical and coding staff need to think defensively. Here are five things to...Read More »
By Sharme Brodie, RN, CCDS
The American Hospital Association (AHA) Coding Clinic, Second Quarter 2019, will likely make most CDI professionals breathe a sigh of relief as it’s a brief 40 pages in length—welcome news in light of the 2,000-plus-page fiscal year 2020...Read More »
Parkinson’s disease was first described by James Parkinson in 1817. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects almost 1 million Americans with about 60,000 new cases diagnosed every year. Onset usually occurs past the age of 60;...Read More »
“Do you love me? Do you want me? / Check yes or no.”—George Strait
Ah, the simple joys of childhood. I’m from the era where our grade school social network was mediated by small paper notes rocketing across the classroom. If it...Read More »
The Society for Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) released a joint statement advising against implementation of the...Read More »
Q: I’ve heard that, due to the inflammatory response related to septic tissue, perfusion will decrease, and hyperlactatemia and mottling are likely if left untreated. Decreased perfusion means that organs/tissues would get less blood. Is that how mottling (discoloration in irregular...Read More »
Q: I recently heard in a class that the TNM (tumor, nodes, metastasis) system can be used for coding purposes, but I’ve never used it before. As a coding professional, should I know how this system works and how to apply it?Read More »
Q:I’ve been told that a patient with the documentation of “traumatic cerebral edema with loss of consciousness of 18 hours and GCS—eyes open to sound,” should be assigned to HCC 166. But I keep coming up with two possible HCCs...Read More »
