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CDI Strategies

CDI Strategies is a free bi-weekly e-mail resource for CDI specialists and Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS) members. CDI Strategies offers biweekly news on the latest coding changes and regulatory updates as well as tips for day to day program improvement and problem-solving.

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CDI Strategies

Issue 27, December 22, 2011

• Director’s Note: Clarification regarding Coding Clinic publication

  The American Hospital Association (AHA) has not made any formal decisions regarding when it will...

• Membership Update: Poster presentation submission period open

  The 5th annual ACDIS conference, to be held May 10-11, 2012 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San...

• News: Trailblazer to begin prepayment reviews for four cardiac-related procedures

  Effective December 15, Trailblazer Health Enterprises, LLC, began prepay service-specific medical...

• News: CMS to make more performance measurement data available to the public

  On December 7, CMS published a final rule in the Federal Register that will give qualified...

• Tip: Consider the benefits of inter-departmental coding conferences with ICD-10 on the horizon

  Most of the cases that HIM professionals code are straightforward; some are more difficult, and a...

• Q&A: ’Suggestive’ documentation could require clarification

  Q:Does documentation such as “suggestive of” or “suspicious of” qualify as...

Issue 26, December 8, 2011

• Director’s Note: Certification handbook updates, reminder regarding recertification

  Are you planning to take the CCDS exam? If so, please note that we have made some revisions to the...

• Membership Update: Local Chapters announce December/January meetings

  Minnesota The next meeting of the Minnesota group will be a 3M sponsored event Friday, Dec. 16, 8...

• News: Ability to pay drives hospital length of stay

  Uninsured patients spend less time in the hospital than insured patients, while Medicare patients...

• News: Carefully examine syncope and collapse denials

  Hospitals reported syncope and collapse (MS-DRG 312) as the top MS-DRG with respect to financial...

• Tip: Note disconnect between late effect terminologies in guidelines vs. indices

  By Jennifer Avery, CCS, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-I Late effects are considered to be the residual effects...

Issue 25, December 1, 2011

• Director's Note: Quarterly Conference Call raises concerns regarding compliant queries

  In the past few months, Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) have paid closer attention to physician...

• Membership Update: ACDIS Blog opportunities

  The ACDIS Blog offers CDI specialists yet another forum to learn about CDI-related news and...

• News: Demonstration program to expand RAC power

  Starting in January 2012, facilities could see pre-payment reviews from auditors involved in a new...

• Tip: Evaluate CAC and software expenses

  Invest in computer-assisted coding (CAC) now because of its potential positive impact on...

• Q&A: Making present-on-admission queries part of the record

  Q:Should present-on-admission (POA) queries stay in the record and become a part of the permanent...

Issue 24, November 10, 2011

• Director’s Note: 2012 ACDIS annual conference speaking lineup finalized

  Thanks to the hard work of a volunteer conference committee, the 2012 ACDIS annual conference...

• Membership Update: ACDIS Advisory Board applications due Nov. 25

  The nomination period for the ACDIS Advisory Board is open through November 25, 2011. ACDIS is...

• Membership Update: Next quarterly conference call Nov. 17

  A final reminder to our ACDIS membership that our next quarterly conference will take place next...

• News: OIG Work Plan targets inpatient, outpatient mix for 2012

  The auditing arm of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to crack down on...

• News: CMS to hold ICD-10 implementation provider call

  CMS will host a National Provider Call on Thursday, November 17, 1:30-3 p.m. (ET) regarding ICD-10...

• News: Value-based payment modifier details released

  On November 1, CMS issued its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for calendar year 2012. In it...

• News: CMS releases final rule governing ACOs

  On October 20, CMS released its long-awaited final rule governing accountable care organizations...

• Tip: Monitor diagnoses targeted for readmission reduction

  Coders and CDI specialists need to understand the implications coding and sequencing may have on...

• Q&A: Post-surgical complication of encephalopathy

  Q:Can a patient have encephalopathy after a surgery? For example, a patient post surgery...

Issue 23, October 27, 2011

• Director's Note: ACDIS Advisory Board nomination period open

  We are currently seeking four new ACDIS members to join our advisory board in 2012. ACDIS advisors...

• Membership update: Quarterly conference call for ACDIS members scheduled

  The next ACDIS membership quarterly conference call is scheduled for Thursday, November 17, from...

• News: Maryland facility faces $8 million fraud charges for Kwashiorkor billing

  The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense accused Baltimore-based...

• News: HealthGrades report shows elevated risk of death at underperforming hospitals

  Patients cared for in facilities which HealthGrades deems as five-star have 73% less risk of dying...

• News: CMS offers ICD-10 updates and training tools

  CMS recently updated its Medicare Severity (MS) Grouper with Medicare Code Editor (MCE) ICD-10 R1...

• Tip: Develop physician training to provide a crash course in documentation basics

  Since Emory Healthcare Inc., is a teaching hospital, Bonnie I. Epps, MN, RN, manager of its CDI...

• Q&A: Resection or excision in ICD-10

  Q: I am unsure how “ribs” are categorized in ICD-10. I don’t understand if taking...

Issue 22, October 13, 2011

• Director’s Note: ACDIS 2012 conference exhibitor prospectus offered

  We’re in the final stages of choosing speakers and sessions for the 5th Annual ACDIS National...

• Membership Update: New tools, 4th Quarter CDI Journal posted

  The October edition of the CDI Journal has been posted. This issue includes: ACDIS Director...

• News: Coding Clinic conversion unlikely, but some areas require clarification

  By Jennifer Avery, CCS, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-I As an AHIMA ICD-10 certified trainer, I have been doing...

• News: CMS releases annual contractor satisfaction survey

  Based on overall satisfaction, CMS contractors received a mean score of 3.77 out of a maximum...

• News: AHIMA appoints new CEO

  The American Health Information Management celebrated the induction of its new chief executive...

• News: Celebrations underway for National Case Management Week

  Case management departments across the country celebrate National Case Management Week October 9 to...

• Q&A: Using tumor board notes post discharge

  Q: Some physicians are uncomfortable making addendums to the discharge summary to include the...

Issue 20, September 29, 2011

• Director's Note: Visit ACDIS in Salt Lake City

  The 83rd AHIMA Convention and Exhibit takes place in a few days and ACDIS is proud to support the...

• Membership Update: First annual CDI Week successes

  Thanks to all the CDI and related healthcare professionals who helped make the first annual CDI...

• News: CMS releases Final Rule for Medicaid RACs

  On September 14, CMS released its Medicaid recovery audit contractor (RAC) final rule, which sets...

• White Paper: Understand principal diagnosis selection factors to determine appropriate code assignment

  Documentation improvement staff often struggle with principal diagnosis selection. A clear...

• Tip: What color is your PEPPER?

  The quarterly reports issued by the Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report...

• Q&A: Coding Clinic clarifies SIRS query questions

  Q:  How should I query for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) if SIRS codes...

Issue 18, September 2, 2011

• AHIMA to serve as secretariat on international health informatics committee

  AHIMA secured a “prestigious” role in the ongoing development of electronic healthcare...

• Membership Update: CDI Week preparations include promotional products, surveys, and events

  In less than a month ACDIS kicks off the first ever Clinical Documentation Improvement Week...

• Director's Note: CDI Week celebrations commence!

  Well, we’re almost here at Clinical Documentation Improvement Week, which begins this Sunday...

• News: CMS releases bundled payment information

  Trying to convince physicians that good documentation has “something in it for them” is...

• Membership update: 2011 ACDIS Conference Special Section and slide show available

  ACDIS members can read about the highlights from this year’s conference, learn about the CDI...

• News: Baptist Healthcare settles after claims of improper billing for sepsis, respiratory failure

  $8.9 million. That is the amount Kentucky-based Baptist Healthcare Systems, Inc., had to pay as of...

• News: Deadline for 2012 conference speaker applications closes Sept. 23

  The deadline to submit speaker applications for the 5th annual ACDIS conference (May 10-11, 2012...

• News: TrailBlazer probe highlights documentation disparity

  Out of 88 claims for MS-DRG 246 (percutaneous cardiovascular procedure with drug-eluting stent with...

• CMS releases updated RAC Statement of Work

  CMS updated its Recovery Audit Contractor Statement of Work (SOW), according to an article in AHA...

• News: Lackluster RAC returns could spur fourth quarter records rush

  To make up a gap in expected overpayment collections Recovery Audit Contractors may escalate audit...

• News: HospitalCompare lists readmission 'worsts'

  Being described as "worse" in a CMS HospitalCompare data file is a dubious...

• News: GAO report says CMS needs to improve quality of physician feedback

  “CMS faces challenges incorporating resource use and quality measures for physician feedback...

• Tip: Take photographs of your CDI team to celebrate CDI Week

  If you’re looking for an easy, inexpensive way to celebrate the first annual Clinical...

• Q&A: When to query physicians regarding pathological findings

  Q: Some of our physicians are uncomfortable making addendums to the discharge summary to include...

Issue 17, August 18, 2011

• Director’s Note: Quarterly call today, physician advisor survey closes tomorrow, September deadline for 2012 speaker proposals

  Conference call The next quarterly conference call for ACDIS members is scheduled for Thursday...

• Membership Update: New renal failure coding e-learning course, Forms & Tools Library postings

  The ACDIS e-learning library allows members the ability to keep up to date on the latest issues and...

• News: MACs to take over demand letter submission from RACs

  In January facilities should expect to receive Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) demand letters not...

• News: CMS adds mortality data for heart attack, heart failure, and pneumonia to Hospital Compare site

  CMS recently updated Hospital Compare web site data for 30-day mortality rates and 30-day...

• News: Whistleblower case highlights leading query concerns

  It started with two courageous coders who knew the query process where they worked at Johns Hopkins...

• Tip: Making sense of myocardial infarction sequencing rules

  By Linda Renee Brown, RN, CCRN, CCDS, MA One of the most confusing diagnoses to code and sequence...

• Q&A: Keep query retention policies consistent

  Q: Should queries from different departments be treated and stored differently? Should they be...

Issue 16, August 4, 2011

• Director's Note: Join us on the podium at the 2012 ACDIS Conference

  We are currently seeking speakers to present at the 2012 ACDIS fifth Annual Conference, to be held...

• Membership Update: Next Quarterly Conference Call slated for August 18

  The next quarterly conference call for ACDIS members is scheduled for Thursday, August 18, from 1-2...

• News: IPPS Final Rule released

  CMS released the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule, Monday, Aug. 1, reducing a...

• News: Latest CMS compliance newsletter could contain conflicting advice

  CMS recently released its July edition of the Medicare Quarterly Provider Compliance Newsletter but...

• News: AHIMA releases ACO white paper

  Much discussion has been held of late regarding the creation of Accountable Care Organizations...

• News: Palmetto issues warning about documentation error rates

  Healthcare providers in the A/B MAC jurisdiction 1 have a problem—a paid claims error rate...

• Tip: CDI programs find expanded role in ED documentation efforts

  JA Thomas expanded its CDI offerings to include the ED and other points of entry roughly two years...

• Q&A: Definition of ’marrying’ DRGs

  Q: I am having trouble grasping the concept of “marrying” DRGs. Can you explain what...

Issue 15, July 21, 2011

• Director’s Note: Help kick-off Clinical Documentation Improvement Week

  ACDIS is sponsoring the industry’s first Clinical Documentation Improvement Week on Sept...

• Membership update: New white paper discusses importance of CDI program auditing and monitoring

  “Every CDI program should objectively evaluate the outcomes, processes, and compliance of...

• News: RACs target ventilator support

  RACs can easily data-mine for noncompliance related to coding for ventilator support, says Glenn...

• Tip: Root operations terminology will make a difference in ICD-10 coding

  ICD-10-PCS codes include one digit for the root operation that the provider performs. The root...

• Tip: Revenue Cycle Institute offers helpful tools at no cost

  Each month the Revenue Cycle Institute publishes a free sample tool or form for readers. This...

• News: Congratulations to new CCDS credentialees

  The latest group of recipients of the CCDS credential met the requirements for the CCDS...

• Q&A: Developing a query for malnutrition

  Q: Recently I have discussed the BMI and malnutrition status on patients with our Registered...

Issue 14, July 7, 2011

• Membership update: Third quarter CDI Journal posted; new product of the month offered

  CDI Journal is a quarterly publication featuring in-depth articles regarding current...

• News: Special MLN Matters article discusses RAC DRG vulnerabilities

  Inpatient hospital claims submitted to Medicare contain “a significant amount” of...

• News: MAC contractor identifies E/M billing errors

  Evaluation and Management (E/M) services accounted for $28 billion in Part B payments nationally...

• Tip: Query to clarify use of the term ’history’

  Many cases exist in which CDI specialists need to query physicians to clarify the use of the term...

• Column: Defining 'failed' CDI programs

  I previously started a conversation on CDI Talk entitled “Failed Programs,” hoping...

• Q&A: Determine documentation difference between skin graft and debridement

  Q:  I have been trying to determine whether a skin graft includes debridement. Based on what I...

Issue 13, June 23, 2011

• Membership update: CCDS CE credits available for Journal readers

  ACDIS is pleased to announce the availability of continuing education (CE) credits linked to its...

• News: ACDIS, AHA comment to CMS on FY 2012 IPPS final rule

  ACDIS submitted comments to CMS regarding recent updates to the ICD-9-CM codes not included in the...

• News: NQF releases update on reportable events list

  In 2002 the National Quality Forum (NQF) created its report Serious Reportable Events in...

• Tip: Oregon QIO posts physician query policy

  While the bulk of discussion regarding how to ethically and responsibly submit queries to...

• News: CDC says sepsis cost $14.6B in 2008

  The number of septicemia and sepsis hospitalizations more than doubled between 2000 and 2008...

• Q&A: Standard rate of response from physicians

  Q:  Is there are industry standard for physician query response rate expectations? Our...

Issue 12, June 9, 2011

• Director's note: 2012 Conference Committee members sought

  Note: Due to a large volume of applications received, the application period is now closed. Our...

• Membership updates: Take advantage of networking opportunities

  In June and July there are nearly a dozen local CDI networking meetings taking place in locations...

• News: Proposed rule aims to increase opportunities for claims data scrutiny

  CMS released a new proposed rule on June 3 which aims to “give consumers and employers better...

• News: ACDIS Quarterly Conference Call focuses on quality opportunities

  More than 300 ACDIS members dialed into the Quarterly Conference Call on Thursday, May 26 to learn...

• News: CMS releases Medicaid HCACs final rule

  Provider-preventable conditions (PPC), including health care-acquired conditions (HCAC), are now...

• News: Comment period on the IPPS proposed rule closes June 20

  CMS published the 2012 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule May 5 in the...

• News: Senators ask for a new ACO proposed rule

  Seven U.S. senators believe the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) proposed rule will not only...

• News: HHS plans review of existing rules

  On Thursday, May 26, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its plans to...

• Q&A: RAC, medical necessity, and the role of CDI

  Q: With all the auditing going on I would like to find out how effects CDI programs in other...

Issue 11, May 26, 2011

• Director’s Note: Make the most of quarterly conference calls

  The next ACDIS quarterly conference call will be held on Thursday, May 26, from 1-2 p.m. EST. ACDIS...

• Membership updates: New job postings, forms and tools, blogs

  New job postings http://www.hcpro.com/acdis/jobs.cfm New forms and tools (see Physician...

• News: Medicare money set to run out sooner than expected

  2024. Thirteen years. That’s how long Medicare’s trust fund is expected to last...

• News: Hospital quality ratings sites fall short, study says

  “Publicly marketed hospital rating systems of surgical quality such as the US News &...

• News: AHA releases first quarter 2011 RACTrac report

  Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) reported doubled its recovery amounts since last...

• Excerpt: Spread the word about physician legibility

  Legible. Complete. Dated, timed, signed, and authenticated. That's what section 482.24 of the...

• Q&A: Pre-bill query process requires a defined policy and procedure

  Q:: What does ‘pre-bill retrospective physician query process’ mean?

Issue 10, May 12, 2011

• Director’s Note: First group of CCDS credential holders due for recertification

  It seems to be hard to believe, but we’re approaching the two-year anniversary of the launch...

• Membership update: White Paper regarding CDI role in RAC preparation posted

  What kind of return can your CDI program guarantee in terms of RAC preparedness? That’s the...

• News: CMS posts value-based purchasing final rule

  A mandate of the Affordable Care Act, CMS’ value-based purchasing (VBP) program will begin in...

• News: Poll suggest healthcare staffing shortage could affect quality improvement efforts

  Nearly 500 healthcare quality professionals indicated that staffing shortages could be the biggest...

• News: CMS issues latest quarterly provider compliance newsletter

  Improper coding of MS-DRG 813 (coagulation disorders), reporting an extensive operating room...

• News: CMS releases latest MS-DRG version, hosts ICD-10 teleconference

  Hospitals can start experimenting with how new ICD-10-CM/PCS codes will translate to MS-DRGs since...

• Q&A: Including CC/MCC information on physician education materials

  Q:I’ve heard different opinions between the coders and some of our CDI consultants regarding...

Issue 9, April 28, 2011

• Director’s Note: List of CCDS certification holders published

  ACDIS is pleased to publish a complete list of CCDS certification holders from May 16, 2009 (the...

• Membership Update: ACDIS releases query practice and salary benchmark reports

  The 2010 CDI Specialist’s Salary Survey and the 2010 Physician Queries Benchmarking Report...

• News: CMS proposed IPPS changes continue DCA reductions, include HAC and excisional debridement

  CMS expects a year-over-year reduction of 0.5% in payments to acute care hospitals under the...

• News: RAC release identifies top concern per provider

  Since the inception of the permanent recovery audit contractor (RAC) program, government auditors...

• News: AMA submits comments to CMS regarding federal regulatory burdens

  In response to President Barack Obama’s January 18 executive order aimed at reducing federal...

• Tip: Use free resources to help you start your ICD-10 preparation efforts

  By Donald A. Butler, RN, BSN The more I learn about ICD-10, the more worried I get. At this...

Issue 8, April 14, 2011

• Director’s Note: Thanks for a successful conference

  Last week more than 700 CDI professionals attended the 4th Annual ACDIS Conference at the Hilton...

• Membership update: CDI Journal available for download

  The April edition of the CDI Journal was posted last week, and is available to ACDIS members for...

• News: CMS reports HAC rates, HAC program to come to Medicaid, renewed push for CDI specialist involvement

  Hospital acquired conditions (HAC): The phrase seems simple enough to understand. These are...

• News: CDC releases 2011 ICD-10-CM/PCS coding guidelines, POA reporting

  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in March posted new 2011 guidelines for ICD-10-CM. There are...

• Tip: Spread the word about physician legibility

  Legible. Complete. Dated, timed, signed, and authenticated. That's what section 482.24 of the...

• Q&A: Pre-bill query process requires careful analysis

  Q: What does ‘pre-bill retrospective physician query process’ mean? A:A pre-bill...

Issue 7, March 31, 2011

• Director's Note: ACDIS comments to CDC on proposed FY 2012 ICD-9-CM codes

  Members of the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS) advisory board...

• Membership update: ACDIS conference attendance tips

  We are very excited about the Fourth Annual ACDIS Conference next week (April 7-8, Orlando FL) and...

• News: Catch up on Coding Clinic guidance

  Highlights from Coding Clinic, Third and Fourth Quarters 2010, include: When a primary lung...

• Column: Involve physicians in CDI program effort to enhance buy-in

  By Vickie Balistreri, BA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDS, CPC, CPC-H “Tell me and I’ll...

• Tip: Create a policy for CDI/coding conflict resolution

  The following is an example of a conflict that typically occurs between coding and CDI staff and a...

• Q&A: Resolving coding postoperative ileus worries with documentation

  Q: A patient is admitted with an elective colon resection. The physician documents postoperative...

• Maxim Moment: Success measurements in CDI

  by Steven Robinson, MS, PA-O, RN, CPUR What are the most important factors that measure success...

Issue 6, March 17, 2011

• Membership update: Quarterly call recording available, new polls posted, new networking opportunities offered

  We’ve recently posted some new items to the ACDIS website for members. These include the...

• News: Final changes proposed to ICD-9 code set

  By Glenn Krauss, BBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, FCS, PCS, CCDS, C-CDIS The ICD-9 Coordination and...

• News: AHA report finds RAC program denied more than $86 million in fourth quarter 2010

  Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) denied $86 million in claims in 2010—more than double the...

• News: CMS addresses hospital-acquired conditions in upcoming open forum

  Clarifying hospital-acquired conditions (HAC) and present-on-admission (POA) conditions represent...

• Tip: Know when to report secondary diagnoses

  A patient’s medical record could include a laundry list of diagnoses, but not all of these...

• Q&A: Avoid 'rule out' language to ensure medical necessity

  Q:I know that in an inpatient setting coders are allowed to use suspected diagnosis when a...

• Maxim Moment: Success measurements in CDI

  by Steven Robinson, MS, PA-O, RN, CPUR What are the most important factors that measure success...

Issue 5, March 3, 2011

• Director's Note: Hilton sold out, rooms available nearby

  Nearly 550 CDI professionals have registered to attend the 4th Annual ACDIS Conference in Orlando...

• Membership update: CCDS recertification, new article of the month, virtual website tour

  A number of ACDIS members will be eligible for Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist...

• News: Latest PEPPER reports released

  By Glenn Krauss, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, FCS, PCS, CCDS, C-CDI The Fourth Quarter PEPPER reports...

• News: Medicare 'sting' charges more than 100 defendants including doctors and nurses

  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) called it the largest healthcare fraud sting in...

• News: California facilities struggle with allegations of inappropriately billing for kwashiorkor

  If the data is true, the population of a couple of concentrated areas in California suffer from...

• Q&A: Re-billing an account after a late query response

  Q: AHIMA’s 2008 practice brief, “Managing an Effective Query Process,” appears to...

• Maxim Moment: Success measurements in CDI

  by Steven Robinson, MS, PA-O, RN, CPUR What are the most important factors that measure success...

Issue 4, February 17, 2011

• Director’s Note: Quarterly conference call for ACDIS members Feb. 24

  The next quarterly conference call for ACDIS members will be held on Thursday, February 24, 1-2...

• News: RACs target respiratory system diagnosis with ventilator support

  A recent special edition MedLearn Matters article SE1028 outlines four risk areas targeted by the...

• News: CMS offers variety of ICD-10 updates

  CMS released a number of helpful ICD-10 items recently including: The written transcript and...

• Tip: Documentation key to ensuring inpatient medical necessity

  The RACs have ramped up medical necessity reviews. Determining the medical necessity of an...

• Q&A: Look for etiology when querying for renal failure

  Q: Since Acute Renal Failure (ARF) is no longer a MCC (as of October 1, 2010). I would like...

• Maxim Moment: Success measurements in CDI

  by Steven Robinson, MS, PA-O, RN, CPUR What are the most important factors that measure success...

• Membership update: Review weekly polls, forms, job postings for useful information

  ACDIS conducts a new poll of its members nearly every week. Members can submit their responses and...

Issue 3, February 3, 2011

• Director's Note: Welcome new board members, conference early-bird rate ends tomorrow

  ACDIS is pleased to announce the election of four new advisory board members, terms of service...

• Membership Update: New tools, e-learning course, February chapter meetings, and quarterly conference call

  A number of new tools and presentations have been posted to the ACDIS Forms & Tools Library...

• News: CMS issues guidance on hospital inpatient admission decisions

  Despite the guidance CMS offers about proper inpatient admission decisions, hospitals still...

• News: Open door forum on value-based purchasing program slated for next week

  As announced in the January 20 issue of CDI Strategies, CMS issued a proposed rule to establish a...

• News: CMS says health spending slowed in 2009

  In a recent National Health Expenditure Accounts (NHEA) report, the group indicated that U.S...

• Q&A: Reinforcing the importance of a physician advisor

  Q: Our small hospital has decided at this time that they no longer need the services of a Physician...

• Maxim Moment: Success measurements in CDI

  by Steven Robinson, MS, PA-O, RN, CPUR What are the most important factors that measure success...

Issue 2, January 20, 2011

• Director’s Note: Important dates regarding the 4th Annual ACDIS Conference

  There are a mere 75 days left until the 4th Annual ACDIS Conference in Orlando (April 7-8). Amazing...

• Membership update: January edition of the CDI Journal posted

  The January 2011 edition of the CDI Journal is available for ACDIS members on the association...

• News: CMS announces inpatient value-based purchasing program

  On Friday, January 7, CMS issued a proposed rule to establish a new hospital value-based purchasing...

• News: MedPAC recommends 1% IPPS update for 2012

  In a meeting Thursday, January 13, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended...

• News: CMS releases improved Physician Compare tool

  At the start of the New Year, CMS released an enhanced Physician Compare site which “begins...

• Maxim Moment: Success measurements in CDI

  by Steven Robinson, MS, PA-O, RN, CPUR What are the most important factors that measure success...

• Q&A: Malnutrition query results in additional confusion

  Q: Our physician provided an illegible diagnosis of malnutrition, and when we queried him regarding...

Issue 1, January 6, 2011

• Director's Note: Highlights of the 4th annual 2011 ACDIS conference in Orlando

  Hurry; early bird discount expires on Feb. 4 Although we’re all getting back from the...

• Membership reminder: CDI specialist annual salary survey open through January 7

  In 2008, a total of 132 individuals completed ACDIS’ CDI specialists’ salary survey. In...

• News: ICD-10 crosswalks, White Paper, CMS teleconference available

  The transition from ICD-9-CM Volume 3 procedure codes to ICD-10-PCS will be by all accounts a...

• Tip: Address inadequate HIPAA Security Rule-required policies and procedures

  CMS detailed seven shortcomings, including old and inadequate policies and procedures, in its 2009...

• Tip: Form comprehensive query policies to govern both CDI and coding staff

  According to the 2010 Physician Query Benchmarking Report (to be released later this month) 54% of...

• Q&A: Ready for Medicaid RAC?

  Q: How should providers prepare for Medicaid RACs?  

• Sponsored Content: Incorporate quality mandates into the CDI function

  by Steven Robinson, MS, PA-O, RN, CPUR  The DRG system, implemented nationally in 1983, was...

Issue 9, April 28, 2011

• Q&A: Productivity measures for CDI specialists

  Q: What is the recommended ratio for CDI professionals regarding the number of patients and...

Issue 13, June 23, 2011

• News: JATA survey shows additional education needed to meet ICD-10 implementation needs

  J.A. Thomas and Associates (JATA) says nearly a quarter of healthcare facilities are not...