Organizations have become increasingly aware that social determinants of health play a major role in determining health disparities. With this in mind, Kelly Rice, MSHI, BSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CRC, reviews the changes to SDOH for FY 2026 and the response to such changes, explores strategies for continued capture of SDOH, and emphasizes the use of new SDOH ICD-10 codes available.
Failure to rescue is a compelling quality metric because it offers a lens through which healthcare organizations can illuminate, analyze, and improve the rescue zone of patient care. Teresa Brown, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CCS , shows how this metric can guide meaningful improvement in patient safety and outcomes when coding and CDI professionals help use it thoughtfully.
A study published in JAMA found that people who experience a traumatic spinal cord injury are at a greater risk of developing long-term chronic conditions such as hypertension, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and other neurological and psychiatric conditions.
Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CRC, provides a summary of the changes to the SOFA assessments and corresponding scoring now that JAMA Network Open recently published the consensus statement Rational and Methodological Approach Underlying the Development of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA)-2 Score. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register if you do not have a paid subscription.
When a woman is pregnant, relational connections between multiple organ systems can affect both mother and fetus and thereby alter, and perhaps complicate, the care they require. In addition, determining whether a condition was pre-existing or due to the pregnancy is important but can be tricky. Shelley C. Safian, PhD, MAOM/HIM/HI, RHIA, CCS-P, COC, CPC-I, provides clarifications for these types of scenarios.
Discover how Nancy Blattberg-Smith, MPH, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, and Michelle Knuckles, RHIA, CDIP , have helped build a functional coding, CDI, auditing, and education model that can improve cross-functional resources, communication, and education for developing integrated DRG denial strategies.
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which encompasses emphysema and bronchitis, are two of the most prevalent and debilitating respiratory conditions. Understanding these diseases and their pathophysiology is crucial for accurate diagnosis, treatment, and coding, particularly when the conditions overlap. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register if you do not have a paid subscription.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people under age 50 who consume cannabis are 6.2 times more likely to experience a heart attack than individuals who do not. It also found that they are 4.3 times more likely to experience an ischemic stroke and 2 times more likely to experience heart failure.
Q: Why is it necessary for coders, CDI professionals, and providers to align documentation and coding for substance-related disorders when applying both the DSM-5 and ICD-10? How does this impact risk adjustment and HCC capture?
