HCPro.com - CDI Strategies

Local Chapter Events: Conference provides unique networking opportunities

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:28:00 GMT

Whether you are just beginning your career as a CDI professional, or have been a CDI specialist for many years, there are days when you just feel like talking things over with a fellow professional. That’s just one reason networking can be so valuable.

To foster such networking, more than 40 local chapters of ACDIS located across the country meet on a regular basis. To facilitate their continued growth, and bring them all together under one roof, ACDIS hosts its Local Chapter Trivia & Lunch event on Day 2 of the ACDIS conference.

This year the Tennessee ACDIS Chapter opted to create a trivia contest and scavenger hunt. We encourage you to explore the city of Nashville and attempt to learn the answers to the tourist-specific questions which will be included with your materials package when you arrive at the conference. There are a number of ACDIS and CDI-related trivia questions as well. Please refrain from using your smart phones or other devices to answer these questions and work instead with your colleagues and friends to deduce the solutions.

Playing is easy. Use the seating chart in your agenda to locate your state’s table, grab a box lunch on Wednesday, May 22, and join us at the rear of the exhibit hall at 12:15 p.m.

Note: Attendees are invited to wear clothing indicative of their region or sports teams throughout the day to make it easier to identify individuals from your region.

Many thanks go to our Tennessee ACDIS Chapter hosts who helped create the trivia/scavenger hunt questions, chose the prizes, and lead our game.

In addition, many local chapters and networking groups will be holding after-hour meetups throughout the conference, including:

Michigan: Meets Monday, May 20, 4 p.m., at the Bridge Café, on the third floor of the Renaissance Nashville Hotel. On Wednesday, May 22, chapter leaders Sue Haley and Patricia Nemeth encourage participants from the state to Go Blue! and wear blue and gold clothing or team gear in support of the Wolverines successful season. For information, contact Patricia PNEMETH1@hfhs.org or shaley@northernhealth.org.

Kentucky/Indiana: Meets Monday, May 20, 5 p.m., at the Margaritaville restaurant on Broadway. For information, contact Kentucky chapter leader Rita Fields at rita.fields@BHSI.COM.

South Carolina: Meets Monday, May 20, 6 p.m., at the Commerce Street Grille, on the first floor of the Renaissance Hotel. For information, contact Rebecca “Ali” Williams at 864-541-1609 or email rawilliams@srhs.com.

Texas/North Carolina: Meets Monday, May 20, 5-7 p.m., at Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar on Printer Alley, courtesy of MedPartners CDI, who graciously opened their invitation to others who may not have formal meet-up times arranged. RSVP to Lora Clements at LClements@medpartnershim.com by Friday, May 17.

CDI Talk Network: Meets Monday, May 20, at 8 p.m. in the Renaissance Hotel Lobby. For additional information, visit http://www.hcpro.com/acdis/cdi_talk.cfm.

Pediatric (APDIS) Network: The children’s/pediatric CDI network (Association of Pediatric Documentation Improvement Specialists) will meet Tuesday, May 21, at 5 p.m., in the Renaissance Hotel Lobby. For information, contact Valerie Bica at vbica@nemours.org.

Massachusetts: Meets Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m., at Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar on Printers Alley. RSVP to Sarah Eby by Friday, May 17 via email mass.cdis@gmail.

News: Conference poster presentations offer education on common CDI concerns

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:27:00 GMT

This year’s conference features 26 poster presentations on a range of pressing topics. (Download this Excel spreadsheet for a list of speakers and their presentation titles.) Stop by to hear what innovative ideas these professionals have to share during a dedicated viewing breakfast session on Wednesday, May 22, 7-8 a.m., in the exhibit hall. The 2013 ACDIS Conference Committee will award ribbons to the top three presentations.

News: Updated editions of ICD-10 and physician queries’ handbooks released; authors to sign copies in the exhibit hall

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:24:00 GMT

A number of new CDI materials will be available at the HCPro booth (unless noted) throughout the conference including the recently released The Clinical Documentation Improvement Guide to ICD-10, Second Editionand The Physician Queries Handbook, Second Edition.

Attendees can stop by to meet the authors of our CDI books, get a copy of signed, and chat with the authors about the content. Here is the schedule:

May 21, 2013: 10:15-10:45 AM: Dr. Richard Pinson and Cynthia Tang, co-authors of 2013 CDI Pocket Guide (at HCQ Booth #1209). 2:30-3:00 PM: Marion Kruse, author of Physician Queries Handbook, Second Edition.
May 22, 2013: 7:15-7:45 AM: Cheryl Ericson and Jennifer Avery, co-authors of The CDI Specialist’s Guide to ICD-10, Second Edition. 10:15-10:45 AM: Nancy Ignatowicz, author of the CDI Toolkit; Glenn Krauss, author of the Documentation Improvement Guide to Physician E/M. 2:30-3:00 PM: Fran Jurcak, author of the CCDS Exam Study Guide.
May 23, 2013: 7:15-7:45 AM: Dr. Richard Pinson and Cynthia Tang, co-authors of 2013 CDI Pocket Guide (at HCQ Booth #1209)

Tips: Advice from previous conference attendees/CDI Talk network

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:22:00 GMT

Editor’s Note: The following tips were adapted from comments by previous ACDIS attendees and CDI Talk networking discussions to help make your 2013 conference experience a better one:

Tip 1: Bring a highlighter or two to help you keep track of the most salient points during conference sessions. (Bonus: Bring extras and make friends by lending them to those sitting near you.)

Tip 2: Keep a pad of various colored sticky notes or tabs for your conference book. Use them to flag which sessions you plan to attend, and jot down the time and room location to help keep you on track.

Tip 3: Tuck a small notebook away in your purse or back pocket. When a casual conversation sparks an innovative idea, you’ll be ready.

Tip 4: Always carry 50 business cards (or more). Many session leaders start off their programs with ice-breaker type activities which call for an exchange of business cards but you’ll want to have some available to leave with vendors in the exhibit hall and to exchange with the new professionals you’ll meet. When you accept a business card from someone else, be sure to turn it over and jot a quick note about something memorable from your exchange. This will help you when you return home, head full of insight, to identify those who hope to reconnect with and why. (Hint: If you don’t have business cards, print your contact information on white labels. Cut index cards in half and stick a label onto each piece.)

Tip 5: Carry an abbreviated Rolodex with the contact information of colleagues from across the country. Often the ACDIS conference is the only time CDI specialists get a chance to meet with those they have been emailing and exchanging information with during the previous year. Make arrangements to meet during lunches or after-hours to discuss what you each learned throughout the day.

Tip 6: Contact (in advance) your vendors/consultants to see if they are doing something special (there are many after-hours events in the works) to help plan your evenings. Similarly, take time to fully explore the sponsors in the exhibit hall. These individuals represent a wealth of industry expertise and they are looking forward to speaking with you.

Tip 7: Arrive at your sessions early. As true as it was in grammar school, no one likes to sit in the front row. That said, with more than 800 attendees at the 6^th Annual ACDIS Conference overall, you’ll want to arrive a few minutes early to ensure you get a good seat. Some sessions fill up quickly as each breakout cannot accommodate all 800+ attendees

Tip 8: Pack a camera. ACDIS incorporates a number of informal fun activities throughout the course of the conference. You never know when you’ll wish you had your camera to capture them. ACDIS also encourages participants to send in their photos (email mvarnavas@cdiassociation.com) after the event for consideration in its annual conference recap, published in the CDI Journal.

Tip: Don't miss the following Nashville must-see tourist sites

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:20:00 GMT

There's a lot to do in Nashville. First and foremost, when you think of Nashville you think of music.

This list isn’t all-inclusive but it should get you started planning your down time in Music City. We adapted it from the Nashville Visitor Information Center web site (www.visitmusiccity.com/Visitors/events/freenashville). Stop by the glass tower in the Bridgestone Arena at 5th Avenue and Broadway and talk to the staff. They have lots of brochures, a gift shop, and stage with props for a free photo op.

There's a lot to do in Nashville. First and foremost, when you think of Nashville you think of music.

The much-awaited Music City Center (www.visitmusiccity.com/visitors/events/mccgrandopening) will celebrate its grand opening on May 19-20. Guests can enjoy a free open house featuring live local music on both days. Phil Vassarand Ten Out of Tenn will perform on the east plaza on Sunday, May 19. Sheryl Crow will headline the free street party and concert on Monday, May 20. The Time Jumpers featuring Vince Gill, Fisk Jubilee Singers, and Mikky Ekko will also perform, ending with a finale of fireworks.

Lower Broadway, around Fourth and Fifth avenues, is Nashville’s entertainment district which includes the Bridgestone Arena, our conference hotel, the Nashville Convention Center, and various clubs, including Robert's Western World and Tootsie's Orchid Lounge. Both sides of Lower Broadway pump live music into the streets all day, every day. There's no cover charge but the tip jar gets passed for the musicians.

The Grand Ole Opry, at 2804 Opryland Drive, started as a radio broadcast and is now home to a weekly stage show with programs on Tuesday nights. Its first home was at the Ryman Auditorium (116 Fifth Avenue North). When the new venue was built, a large circle was cut out of the Ryman stage and placed into the stage at the Opryland site, so entertainers could stand on the same floor that countless musicians stood on through the years.

Gaylord Opryland Resort, at 2800 Opryland Drive, features nine acres of indoor gardens and waterfalls.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, at 600 James Robertson Parkway, features a 200-foot granite map of the state, a walkway that meanders over its 95 counties, and 31 fountains representing the major rivers of Tennessee.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 5th Ave. South, features instrument demonstrations, dance lessons, musical petting zoos, letterpress art making, and more. If you plan to bring your little ones, children ages 5 and under get in for free.

For history lovers, visit Fort Nashborough, 170 1st Ave. North for a walk through the replica of the original settlement of Nashville on the banks of the Cumberland River, or visit Fort Negley, 1100 Fort Negley Blvd. where you can explore the largest inland masonry fort built during the Civil War.

In the round at the Bluebird Café, 4104 Hillsboro Pike, hosts weekly songwriter performances with no cover. Get an intimate performance with the unique no-stage setup from the people who have wrote the songs that you love the most.

Belle Meade Plantation is a 30-acre historic site 6 miles west of Nashville. The mansion is the centerpiece of the estate and was built in 1853. The plantation grounds feature an art gallery, tours of the estate, and rotating Living History activities such as storytelling, period dance and demonstrations. Children under 5 are admitted free.

The second-ever North American exhibition of Light, a stunning outdoor art installation by acclaimed British artist Bruce Munro, opens May 24, at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, at1200 Forrest Park Dr.

Of course, if you have the opportunity, taking a tour of a distillery could also be an once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg is just over an hour's drive from Nashville and the George Dickel Distillery in Tullahoma is just outside the city limits as well.

No matter what you decide to do, support our host city and make sure you schedule in some time to enjoy yourself.

Q&A: Nashville Conference Buzz

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:05:00 GMT

Editor’s Note: Mark Dominesey, RN, BSN, MBA, CCDS, CDIP, MCP, presents “Integrating CDI processes with the EHR: Getting it right from the beginning,” on Tuesday, May 22 at 3:15 p.m., in Track 7, Leadership and Department Management. The follow Q&A was conducted by ACDIS Member Services Specialist Penny Richards and was one of a series of articles published on the ACDIS Blog highlighting various speakers and their presentations.

ACDIS: Tell us a bit about your background and how you got into CDI.

MD: I was an IT specialist, IT trainer, and a systems administrator prior to becoming a nurse. After a few years as a bedside nurse and a house supervisor, I “stumbled” into CDI. For my first CDI job I was hired to not only do CDI, but also to assist the IT department with HIM application integration into the EHR. I learned that CDI fit my background and professional goals perfectly.

ACDIS: Tell us something about yourself that we can share with your future audience.

MD: My wife and I have had six children in not quite 10 years of marriage (our oldest is 8 years old). I’m restoring a vintage 1966 small camper and have more than 3,000 books categorized in my home library.

Membership Updates: Update your ACDIS contact information; renew your membership now

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:31:00 GMT

Last week’s ACDIS Quarterly Conference Call hosted 372 participants and featured special presentations regarding the role of CDI in electronic medical record implementation and the APR-DRG system, among other items. You can download a recording of the session on the ACDIS website. (That’s also where you’ll find the link to the related CCDS CEUs.)

Despite the terrific turnout for the call, a large number of ACDIS members emailed or phoned to seek the members-only dial-in information. If you have changed jobs in the past year or moved from one location or another, we may not have your most recent information, so be sure to let us know by contacting customerservice@cdiassociation.com. If your membership has expired, we encourage you to "renew" your membership rather than purchasing a new one.

Also, we encourage you to please check your spam filters and other firewall elements to allow ACDIS-related information to reach you.

The Quarterly Conference Calls represent just one sliver of the benefits ACDIS has to offer. The quarterly CDI Journal, the active networking group CDI Talk, regular benchmarking reports, and the extensive Forms & Tools Library provide a wealth of information for all experience levels. To learn more, watch this brief 10-minute video that provides a tour of the ACDIS website.

If you are not currently an ACDIS member we encourage you to join the only association specifically for CDI professionals.

Director’s Note: Looking forward to 6th Annual ACDIS Conference

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:03:00 GMT

It is hard to believe that the 6th Annual ACDIS Conference is upon us. ACDIS staff will be flying into Nashville this weekend in preparation for the biggest CDI event of the year. We hope you enjoy this special edition of CDI Strategies. It includes some important information about the upcoming event, tips about how to make the most of your time in Nashville, and a few of the highlights we are particularly looking forward to this year.

Pre-conference offerings: Once again ACDIS offers two, two-day pre-conference events “The Physician Advisor’s Role in CDI,” and the “ICD-10 for CDI Boot Camp,” which take place Sunday, May 19 and Monday, May 20. With more than 80 attendees the physician advisor event is a unique gathering of MDs, led by physician educators James Kennedy and Trey LaCharite. The ICD-10 for CDI boot camp has more than 50 attendees seeking a more intensive delve into ICD-10 documentation requirements.
Conference pre-registration: Some 850 attendees coupled with many exhibitors and speakers means that we’ll have more than 1,000 attendees at this year’s conference. We strongly encourage you to pre-register on Monday, May 20, from 4-6 p.m. in the West Exhibit Hall, Level 1. By pre-registering you will avoid waiting in line in the morning! When arriving at the ACDIS registration counter, locate the line associated with the first letter of your last name; there will be four lines roped off with the following headers; A-E, F-K, L-R, S-Z.
What to wear: If you feel so inclined (and have it in your wardrobe), don your purple and orange clothing to demonstrate your ACDIS pride on the first full day of the conference, Tuesday, May 21. On the second day of the conference, Wednesday, May 22, attendees are encouraged to wear clothing items or sports gear highlighting their home state. In general, it is best practice to wear several layers of clothing to conference sessions as some rooms may be cool or warm depending on the number of participants.
Twitter: Yes, ACDIS is on Twitter! @ACDIS Conference attendees and CDI professionals are encouraged to follow the 6^th Annual ACDIS Conference event via social networking. Please consider sharing any insights you’re learning or thoughts along the way and don’t forget to use hashtag #ACDIS2013. We encourage participants to play “Where’s Brian Murphy” by snapping a photo of ACDIS Director Brian Murphy and tweeting it with his location at the conference.
Award luncheon: The 2013 ACDIS award luncheon takes place Tuesday, May 21, at noon in the hotel banquet hall. The luncheon provides a celebratory look into the extraordinary efforts of this year’s winners as we name this year’s CDI Professional of the Year in a special awards ceremony.

Most of all we hope the 2013 ACDIS Conference provides you with a number of new ideas and helpful materials that you’ll take back to your programs and memories to infuse your professional spirit with energy for the rest of the year.

News: Listen to live podcasts, 'Talk Ten Tuesday' from ACDIS 2013

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:02:00 GMT

Can't make it to the 6th Annual ACDIS conference? Listen in to a series of broadcasts by ICD-10 Monitor http://icd10monitor.com/ for all the highlights from Nashville. The broadcasts will take place live from the conference exhibit hall, May 21-23. This video shows the complete broadcast schedule.

The coverage kicks off with ICD-10 Monitor’s “Talk Ten Tuesday” webcast from 10-10:30 a.m. ET. After its morning session, ICD-10 Monitor will podcast on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, interviewing a series of speakers on topics like ICD-10, denials management, pathophysiology, and CDI department management.

Registration is free but you must sign up in advance.

Local Chapter Events: More meetings slated for May, June

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:59:00 GMT

Houston, Texas: Harris Health System hosts the next meeting, Thursday, May 9, at 3 p.m. in the administration building at Harris County Health on Preston in Houston. The agenda includes “Challenges and Documentation in Coding – Acute Coronary Syndrome” and “Debugging Sepsis – Documentation and Coding Guidelines.” For information, contact Pat Spooner at budderpat@yahoo.com or meeting host Michael Kaitschuck at Michael.Kaitschuck@harrishealth.org.

Austin/San Antonio, Texas: Meets Thursday, May 9, at 4 p.m., at Serrano’s at Symphony Square on River Street in Austin, for dinner and discussion of the ACDIS Quarterly Conference Call. For information, contact Barbara Anne Presley at 512-324-7679 or email bapresley@seton.org.

Michigan: Meets via teleconference Thursday, May 15, noon to 2 p.m., to listen to a re-broadcast of the webinar “Documentation Improvement for Post-Operative Complications: Understanding Coding Guidelines and Overcome Challenges.” For information, email Sue Haley at shaley@northernhealth.org.

South Carolina: Meets Friday, May 31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Providence Hospital in Columbia. The agenda includes:

Recovery Auditor and compliance updates
Implementing the latest malnutrition clinical guidelines into documentation improvement efforts
Documentation and profiling related to SOI/ROM

Maine: Meets Tuesday, June 4, noon to 4 p.m., at the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, in Augusta. For information, contact Cathy L. Seluke 207-872-1796 or email Cathy.Seluke@mainegeneral.org.

Indiana: Holds its CCDS Exam Study Group meeting, Monday, June 5, 6-7:30 p.m., with special guest CCDS Exam Study Guide author Fran Jurcak. For information, contact Angie Green at agreen2@community.com.

Philadelphia/NJ: The next Philadelphia/New Jersey ACDIS Chapter meeting takes place Thursday, June 6, from 8:30-10 a.m., at Albert Einstein Medical Center, in Philadelphia. For information, contact Deborah Dallen, at DallenD@einstein.edu.

Florida: Meets Saturday, June 8, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach. The agenda includes:

“Physician Champion Mission: Document severity”
“MCCs in the ICU: Clinical indicators for shock”
“Acute Respiratory Failure and Gram Negative Pneumonia”
“The Importance of CDI Specialist and Coder Collaboration”

For information, contact Jamie.Dugan@bmcjax.com.

N. Illinois: Meets Friday, June 14, at Cadence Health in Winfield and on Friday, July 12, at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. For information, contact Colleen Stukenberg at CStukenberg@fhn.org.

Connecticut: Meets Thursday, June 13, 1:30-3 p.m., at the Hospital of Central Connecticut’s Bradley Memorial Campus in Southington. For information, email Mary Ann Shanley at mshanley24@yahoo.com.

News: CMS releases data regarding hospital charges for common inpatient services

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:50:00 GMT

New data released today show significant variation across the country and within communities in what hospitals charge for common inpatient services, according to a May 8 release from CMS. For example, average inpatient charges for services a hospital may provide in connection with a joint replacement range from a low of $5,300 at a hospital in Ada, Okla., to a high of $223,000 at a hospital in Monterey Park, Calif.

Even within the same geographic area, hospital charges for similar services can vary significantly. For example, average inpatient hospital charges for services that may be provided to treat heart failure range from a low of $21,000 to a high of $46,000 in Denver, Colo., and from a low of $9,000 to a high of $51,000 in Jackson, Miss.

Tip: Pediatric CDI expansion may be easy as 1, 2, 3

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:48:00 GMT

If you are considering expanding your CDI program to include review of pediatric records, consider these three tips:

Tip #1: Blaze your own trail. The majority of today’s CDI programs address the adult patient population and tend to focus on Medicare regulations and reimbursement, says Valerie Bica, BSN, RN, CPN, CDI specialist at Nemours/A. I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and leader of the ACDIS pediatric/NICU network. However, there are children who receive Medicare health benefits. Pediatric hospitals may want to consider hiring a consultant to jumpstart their programs simply because of the lack of literature available, she adds.

However, ensure that the consultant has experience with pediatric CDI. For example, CDI specialists in a pediatric hospital shouldn’t be querying for oliguria (low output of urine) because it is a meaningless symptom in most pediatric patients. Instead, they should be asking questions such as:

What’s the cause of the oliguria?
How severe is the situation?
Is it mild dehydration?
Is it acute renal failure?
Is the child obstructed or septic?

These questions are much more important than the fact that visualized urine output seems low.

Tip #2: Let physicians lead the CDI effort. Allowing physicians to lead the effort—rather than become targets of it—will help ensure physician-buy in, says Robert S. Gold, MD, founder and CEO of DCBA, Inc., in Atlanta, Ga. The one caveat to this is that geriatric medicine shouldn’t be directing education for neonates and pediatric diseases and operative reports, he adds.

Tip #3: Focus on quality—not reimbursement. Identify and clarify missing, conflicting, or nonspecific provider documentation. The goal is to ensure that severity of illness and risk of mortality accurately reflect the complexity of patient care provided, says Bica.

“The children who come into our hospital are medically complex in many ways. They’re seen by a multitude of providers. We wanted every service line to be clear on what the comorbid conditions were for every child,” she says. “We feel that the CDI program can help to make sure that anyone who opens that chart in the EMR can be instantly aware of all the problems that the child suffers from.”

Editor’s note:This article originally published on JustCoding.com, and was presented during HCPro’s audio conference, The Pediatric Medical Record: Opportunities for Documentation Improvement.

Q&A: Obtaining documentation for patients' body mass index

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:43:00 GMT

Q: I realize that if the body mass index (BMI) of a patient is documented by nurses and dieticians, it can be coded if the physician documents the clinical significance (i.e., morbid obesity). However, if the BMI is documented by a patient care tech or nursing ward secretary in the medical record, would the physician need to be queried for agreement with the BMI value as documented by these non-licensed employees?

A: For BMI and pressure ulcer stage codes, code assignment may be based on medical record documentation from clinicians who are not the patient’s provider (i.e., physician or other qualified healthcare practitioner legally accountable for establishing the patient’s diagnosis). The key word here is “clinicians.” Their documentation is typically allowed because they are involved in the care of the patient (e.g., a dietitian often documents the BMI, and nurses often document the pressure ulcer stages).

However, the associated diagnosis (such as overweight, obesity, or pressure ulcer) must be documented by the patient’s provider. If there is conflicting medical record documentation, either from the same clinician or different clinicians, the patient’s attending provider should be queried for clarification.

The BMI and pressure ulcer stage codes should only be reported as secondary diagnoses. As with all other secondary diagnosis codes, the BMI and pressure ulcer stage codes should only be assigned when they meet the definition of a reportable additional diagnosis.

To use documentation from a patient care technician, you would need to establish a policy outlining their responsibilities (and training) to do so.

Documentation of BMI by a ward secretary would be a risk in my opinion, since these individuals do not typically provide patient care and cannot be considered a clinician.

Editor’s Note: Cheryl Ericson, MS, RN, CCDS, CDIP, AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer, CDI Education Director for HCPro Inc., answered this question. Contact her at cericson@hcpro.com. For information regarding CDI Boot Camps offered by HCPro visit www.hcprobootcamps.com/courses/10040/overview.

Director’s Note: ACDIS Quarterly Conference Call today

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:09:00 GMT

ACDIS members are invited to participate in a Quarterly Conference Call taking place today, Thursday, May 9, from 1-2 p.m. (EST). Dial-in instructions were sent via email to ACDIS members. If you did not receive your dial-in instructions please email prichards@cdiassociation.com for information.

Today’s agenda includes a discussion of how one hospital implemented an electronic health record and computer assisted coding in conjunction with CDI input, as presented by special guest Mark Dominesey, a presenter at the 2013 ACDIS conference.

It also includes a discussion of record reviews for quality metrics associated with APR-DRGs, presented by ACDIS Advisory Board member Sue Belley. You can download a few slides Belley plans to present on the call here: www.hcpro.com/content/291981.ppt.

In addition, advisory board members will address member questions regarding renal failure, seizure documentation, capturing patient mortality documentation, and will also answer live questions from participants.

Membership Update: Items added to the Forms & Tools Library

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:05:00 GMT

A number of items have recently been added to the ACDIS Forms & Tools Library. If you have worked hard on revising your query forms, developed a toolkit or physician education training poster, or established a procedure for auditing physician queries, we encourage you to share your hard work with your peers. Our Forms & Tools Review Committee meets regularly to review donated items and assess them against current industry best practices and existing library items. To submit, email ACDIS Associate Director Melissa Varnavas at mvarnavas@cdiassociation.com.

Recently posted items include:

New query forms for cause-and-effect relationship of diseases, altered mental status, and a sepsis order set.
New CDI and physician education materials such as:

– Posters with documentation tips for discharge summaries, respiratory failure, kidney disease, hemiparesis, and chest pain

– Tip cards covering general documentation improvement items as well as heart failure core measure documentation and medical necessity for joint replacement

– Presentations and education regarding documentation and coding complications, AHRQ patient safety indicator documentation needs, respiratory and heart failure documentation basics

New additions to the policies and procedures section regarding querying and coding complications, and a proposal for mandating CDI training for new medical staff members.

Over the coming weeks members will note some changes to the library as outdated items are removed and document titles are altered to help you quickly identify the document type and its content.

As a reminder, these donated materials are available to ACDIS members with their membership. When adapting materials for use at your facility, review these documents with your compliance, medical staff, and coding teams.

Director’s Note: Deadline for paper-and-pencil CCDS exam today

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:55:00 GMT

More than 1,000 CDI professionals now hold the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) certification. ACDIS publishes the list of those who earned their certification on a quarterly basis. The latest list is available on the “Certification” page of the ACDIS website. Congratulations to all of these individuals.

The CDDS exam is administered via secure computerized testing nationwide; however those who wish to take the CCDS exam via paper and pencil following the 6^th Annual ACDIS Conference in Nashville must submit their application by the end of the day today, April 25. Walk-ins are not eligible. For additional information, contact ACDIS Member Services Specialist Penny Richards at prichards@cdiassociation.com.

Membership Update: Quarterly Conference Call scheduled for May 9

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:54:00 GMT

Our next quarterly conference call is scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 1-2 p.m. To access the call, dial the toll-free number that was emailed to you previously. It will also prompt you for a password (guest code). If you have not received your password via email, contact ACDIS Members Services Specialist Penny Richards at prichards@cdiassociation.com.

Please note that due to heavy call volume, we recommend that you dial in 10 minutes early.

These calls are offered as a means for ACDIS members to network with one another and to discuss any CDI related issues. We will have a few ACDIS Advisory Board members on the call as well. We encourage your comments, thoughts, and questions during the call.

Local Chapter Events: Meetings slated for May, June

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:49:00 GMT

The following ACDIS local chapters have meetings coming up in May and the beginning of June. If you are interested in participating or joining, contact the chapter leaders listed below.

Massachusetts: Meets Thursday, April 25, 12:30-2 p.m., at Emerson Hospital Wellness Center, in Concord. For information visit the website http://masscdis.weebly.com/calendar.html or contact Sarah Eby at mass.cdis@gmail.com.

Virginia: The Virginia ACDIS meeting originally slated for January was postponed due to inclement weather and will be held on Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. Guest speakers include Robert Gold, MD, CEO of DCBA, Inc, who will present a program on ICD-10 (2.0 CEUs) and Crystal Brown, CCS, RHIT, who will present a program titled ‘RACs – Rolling with the Punches,’ (1.0 CEU). In keeping with our tradition of community service and ‘ACDIS Gives Back,’ participants are invited to bring donations of non-perishable foods, which will support our South Hampton Roads Food Bank. For information, contact Vivian Gannon at 757-312-6486 or email vivian.gannon@chesapeakeregional.com.

Texas: The next Houston ACDIS Chapter meeting takes place Thursday, May 9. For information, contact Pat Spooner at budderpat@yahoo.com.

South Carolina: Meets Friday, May 31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Providence Hospital, in Columbia, SC. For information, contact Rebecca A. Williams at Ali.williamsrn@gmail.com.

Florida: Meets Saturday, June 8, at Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach. For information, contact Jamie.Dugan@bmcjax.com.

News: Don't look for one size fits all ICD-10 fix

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:46:00 GMT

Here is a statistic that will come as no surprise to most coders and CDI professionals: Approximately 50% of physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners have no clue about ICD-10. Of the remaining 50%, only a very small percentage understands how ICD-10 will affect them, Stephen Spain, MD, FAAFP, CPC, founder of Doc-U-Chart in Tyler, TX told AAPC national convention attendees earlier this month.

Providers have a lot of different perspectives on ICD-10, in part because they have very poorly conceived ideas about ICD-10. In addition, everyone is in a different practice environment, Spain said.

The impact of ICD-10 will vary by specialty. Orthopedic and emergency medicine physicians will face lots of changes, while radiology and family practice physicians will see a small impact, he said.

The net result: No one size fits all solution for ICD-10 implementation.

“One size fits most means that most people are disappointed with what they get,” Spain said.

To be successful, focus your efforts on documentation improvement that matters by taking into account the specific needs of your organization. Otherwise, you likely won’t be happy with the results.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on the ICD-10 Trainer Blog.

News: CMS reduces Recovery Auditor claim request minimum

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:43:00 GMT

CMS seems to be giving hospitals of a reprieve when it comes to Recovery Auditor (RA) denials. CMS published guidance April 5 stating it would reduce the minimum number of RA requests from 35 records to 20 records every 45 days. This reduction went into effect April 15.

CMS will also impose a 75%—rather than 100%—limit on any particular claim type. This means that RAs can select up to 75% of any claim type for review. Claim types include IPPS, OPPS, skilled nursing facility, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), inpatient psychiatric facility, ambulatory surgery center, or physician claims.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on JustCoding.com.