CDI

Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, CCDS , notes that getting a handle on a facilities’ case-mix index (CMI) fluctuations can be difficult, and shares insights to how CDI teams can handle these CMI difficulties.

After a year full of numerous coding changes, Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CDIP , takes a closer look at 12 new guidelines that will affect CDI and helps coders better understand these recommendations.

With the grace period from CMS for reporting unspecified ICD-10-CM codes over, Erica E. Remer, MD, FACEP, CCDS, writes about diagnoses to target for improvement.

Shannon Newell, RHIA, CCS, discusses a refined version of the Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) 90 composite by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and how it has a significant impact on what discharges are included in PSI 15. Note: To access this free article, make sure you first register for the free content if you do not have a paid subscription.

Trey La Charité, MD , writes about how he feels the days of merely maintaining compliance with published coding guidelines are gone, and suggests ways to protect a facility and appeal audits.

Shannon Newell, RHIA, CCS, writes about how certain hospitals will be required to participate in the Comprehensive Joint Replacement Model and a new orthopedic payment model called SHFFT if an August 2 proposed rule is finalized.

Laurie L. Prescott, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP , writes that as many CDI teams work to expand their risk adjustment programs, a melding of two skill sets, that of CDI specialists and coding professionals, are required to succeed.

Richard D. Pinson, MD, FACP, CCS , discusses the new Sepsis-3 definition and how the classification has been the subject of great controversy and consternation since its publication in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

William Haik, MD, FCCP , comments on the best steps to take in getting physicians to support documentation improvement efforts at your facility.

"You are your own best teacher," or so the old adage goes. Sure, goodies and gifts are great for recognizing high-quality documentation, but for CDI teams struggling to obtain physician buy-in, the best strategy may be found in their providers' own records.