Just as we’re getting our minds wrapped around the 2,398-page Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015, published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Oct. 14, 2016 and becoming effective Jan. 1, 2017, a new proposed rule for 2018 was published on June 20,…

Clinical documentation integrity (CDI) as a profession is quite similar in nature to running a business. Successful businesses exhibit certain operational qualities and traits that serve to ensure continued growth and prosperity, and their leaders possess a long-term vision and ability to consistently meet, exceed, and solidly predict current and…

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following a part of a series on outpatient clinical documentation integrity (CDI). Part IV was published on May 16, 2017 in the ICD10monitor e-News.The medical record serves primarily as a physician’s communication tool for patients and all associated healthcare stakeholders. The effectiveness and completeness of the documentation…

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is part one in a three-part series on outpatient clinical documentation integrity.There is a great push within the healthcare industry to move clinical documentation integrity (CDI) into the outpatient arena. People refer to this as “outpatient CDI,” but I think this is a misnomer. If you…

Las Vegas is best known for its casinos, crowds, and Celine Dion. But now the city can also be recognized for coding and clinical documentation improvement (CDI). Why?The American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC) and HCPro’s Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS) both convened in Las Vegas during the…

Recently, Dr. Joseph Cristiano did a Talk Ten Tuesdays DocTalk segment on his experience educating residents on clinical documentation at Wake Forest University. We received a follow-up question from Suzanne, so I am focusing this article on more details about resident training. During my stint as physician advisor (PA) at…

There has been a wide array of discussion through published articles, forums, webinars, and meetings about the topic of outpatient clinical documentation improvement (CDI) programs. Outpatient CDI is receiving much attention and experiencing traction in the healthcare industry due to providers coming to terms with the fact that documentation truly…

It is estimated that 80 percent of Americans report back pain at one time or another, and treatment for such issues comes at a cost of $50 billion annually. Roughly 40 percent of those with back pain seek help from a primary care physician; another 40 percent see a chiropractor,…

EDITOR’S NOTE: During a recent edition of Talk Ten Tuesdays, Dr. Erica Remer responded to a listener’s question about clinical documentation integrity specialist (CDIS) working remotely. Here is Dr. Remer’s response. As I tell residents, historically, charting and chart review was done on the floor, because that’s where the chart…

It’s so important that we in the healthcare industry continue our discussion regarding the topic of Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs), as the risk-adjusted payment models are increasing in prevalence.The assignment of HCCs and risk adjustment has extended beyond Medicare Advantage plans as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable…