Director's Note: How CDI can make a difference

You’ve heard it in the media: Hospitals are making people sick and/or causing unnecessary complications. While the problem is much more complex—often a clash of clinical terminology vs. documentation and coding regulations—hospitals are stuck in the middle and come out looking like an easy-to-blame villain.

Here’s the problem in a nutshell: Infection control departments report infections based on their definitions. CDI and coding departments use coding guidelines. Often, these two departments’ regulations don’t line up. And when the data don’t match, fingers are often pointed at the coding department and/or CDI.