News: Tips and tricks to help get along with physicians
CDI Strategies, July 23, 2015
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to CDI Strategies!
Your relationship with the physicians you work with might be challenging from time to time. CDI specialists and physicians aren’t always on the same page.
A recent survey conducted by The American Hospital Association and Executive Health Resources (EHR) found that 98.5% of participants reported that their physicians could improve their documentation practices. Only 5% of respondents—out of over 1,000 surveyed nationwide, mostly CDI specialists— said their physicians were highly engaged, with no barriers preventing engagement in CDI.
While many CDI specialists know that it’s best to ask questions face to face, physicians just may not have the time, which can make it difficult to have important conversations.
Because of the challenges CDI specialists face, they can sometimes make missteps with physicians. The biggest mistake: getting emotional. “Keep emotions and frustrations out of interactions with physicians. It is not productive and will compromise the relationship,” says Randi Ferrare, RN, BSN, interim director of case management and social work at Providence Alaska Medical Center.
CDI might not approach conversations the right way, and sometimes they may make assumptions that prove to be incorrect. In reality, CDI works better when the CDI specialist takes a more active role. John Zelem, MD, FACS, senior director of audit, compliance, and education at EHR suggests pushing for those face-to-face interactions for queries and case-specific education, keeping interactions brief and succinct, and making sure physicians know that there’s room for improvement across the board.
In the end, the best get-along strategy for CDI specialists is to remember you’re all on the same team. “There is one goal, getting the patient to the next level of care. Both [CDI and physicians] need to respect each other and keep in mind that we are working together and not against each other,” says Ferrare.
Editor’s Note: This article was based on Tips and tricks to help get along with physicians, originally published in Case Management Insider; and Physician documentation and engagement, originally published in the CDI Journal.
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to CDI Strategies!
Related Products
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- Don't forget the three checks in medication administration
- Steps for maintaining patient privacy
- The consequences of an incomplete medical record
- Note similarities and differences between HCPCS, CPT® codes
- Tip of the week: Overcoming language barriers with ESL staff members
- Practice the six rights of medication administration
- Know the medical gas cylinder storage requirements
- Prevent dehydration with nursing interventions
- Nursing responsibilities for managing pain
- Q&A: Primary, principal, and secondary diagnoses
- E-mailed
-
- Understand how to report services during the global period for minor surgeries
- Tip: Understand Q status indicator subcategories
- Tip: Report drugs with HCPCS code, revenue code 636
- Tip: Carefully code fracture care
- Get to the heart of cardiac catheterization coding
- Elder Abuse and Exploitation
- Documentation challenges for skin and dermatology coding
- Correctly code for new cardiac, pulmonary rehab benefits
- Searched