Membership update: Leverage Salary Survey data to advance career opportunities

In 2016, salaries of those in the $70,000–$79,999 range rose by just 2%, as did those earning $80,000–$89,999 (which grew from 15% to 17%). Those earning less than $69,999 remained the same at about 26%, and the number of those earning $59,999 or less increased by a little over 2%. But as professionals gain experience in the CDI role, earn related credentials such as the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS), and obtain degrees in focused, higher-level education such as masters and doctorate degrees salary ranges tend to rise, according to the 2016 CDI Salary Survey.

“Being at the top of your career and obtaining relevant credentials definitely helps make professionals more marketable and can help put an individual at the top of the list as someone capable of adapting to specialized roles within the department,” says Wendy Frushon Tsaninos, RN, CCDS, CCS, CMSRN, MSTD, an independent CDI specialist in Phoenix, Arizona, in the report.

CDI program managers can help both their staff and their programs grow by identifying program targets and nurturing career paths for mature team members that play to the needs and strengths of the team.

In 2016, more CDI specialists indicated they have options for diversified roles, including:

• CDI preceptor/mentor (29%, up from 27% in 2015)
• CDI education lead (28%, up from 26%)
• Quality reviewer (27%, up from 22%)
• Denials manager/reviewer (9%, up from 6%)

The 5% increase in those who have an opportunity to conduct quality reviews illustrates an area of significant potential growth for CDI professionals and programs, as does the 3% increase in denials documentation review opportunities.

In its November 2016 white paper, “Keep your staff growing and engaged with a CDI career ladder,” the ACDIS Advisory Board says “strategic initiatives demand additional skill sets for CDI specialists, as well as strong CDI leadership and management. Mortality reviews, auditing, EHR nomenclature standards, policy and procedure development, appeals/denials, coding expertise, education, and informatics are but a few of the initiatives and roles that are enhanced by the knowledge and critical thinking CDI specialists bring to the table.”

In the white paper, the board pulls information from previous salary survey results to demonstrate the growing need for career stratification within the CDI profession and offers several examples for roles and responsibilities.

And if true career ladders aren’t possible for your program, the white paper encourages incentive or recognition programs which require and reward staff for efforts above and beyond typical record review duties. Such efforts might include creating a study group for teammates looking to earn a CDI credential, creating a poster presentation for the ACDIS national conference, or volunteering to speak at a local educational event.

No matter what career or professional advancement goals an individual holds, self-education, communication, and networking often offer the best tools for growth, Tsaninos says in the 2016 Salary Survey.

“It’s a word to the wise,” she says. “Your salary can increase by being a more active participant in the CDI community at large. More opportunities are bound to come one’s way by making oneself visible and showing passion for the profession.”