CDI Scenarios

Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs) have been around since 2004. However, with their increased impact on professional fee reimbursement due to the implementation of MACRA, HCCs have become a hot topic and, therefore, a focus point in every coding arena. Now, physicians will be compensated based on the estimated health cost according to risk profiles, as…

Topic: Outpatient Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Office visit 6/1/21: 65 y/o Caucasian, female seen in office for severe malaise and fatigue for last 6 months.  PMH: Chronic Kidney Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus type 2 Home Medications: Metoprolol 50mg QD, Glucophage 500mg QD, ASA 81mg QD, Multivitamin, Calcium Vitals: T: 97.5, HR:78, RR:20, BP: 130/78.  HT:5’3”, WT…

Topic: Coma H&P: 65-year-old female presenting with obtundation. Per report patient was in her usual state of health until the AM of date of admission when she suffered a sudden onset and progressive worsening headache. Family notes she progressed from lethargy to obtundation at which time EMS was called. Patient noted to have pressures in…

Topic: Outpatient CDI: Atrial Fibrillation Office Visit 2/15/2021: 78-year-old gentleman, lives with wife. Recently hospitalized from 1-2-2021 to 1-7-2021 for Acute MI and Atrial fib with RVR. No voiced complaints. No complaints of heart racing, chest pain. Able to walk around house, up and down flight of steps without stopping.  Seen last week by Ostomy Nurse…

When implementing outpatient CDI in a physician practice, there are 10 steps you must follow to be successful. Assess Current State Define and Align Set Program Goals Determine Return on Investment Staffing Infrastructure Define Workflow Communicate and Educate Performance Expectations Monitor and Track Ongoing Evaluation However, the following steps are considered keys to an effective…

Topic:  Pancreatitis H&P: 68-year-old male presents with a history of a sudden onset of acute upper central abdominal pain radiating to his back. The pain began two days prior with intermittent vomiting, without relief of his pain PMH: Appendectomy, Tonsillectomy, Hypertension, Pre-diabetic Pertinent Family History: Cholelithiasis and cholecystectomy in multiple family members Pertinent Social History:…

The risk adjustment factor (RAF) score is the risk score assigned to each patient in a risk adjustment payment model. Risk Adjustment Models account for multiple factors to calculate a RAF score which is the combination of both the demographic risk score and the disease risk score. Demographic Risk Score: The patient’s age and whether…

Risk adjustment provides a way for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to pay health plans for the risk of the beneficiaries they enroll. By risk adjusting payments, CMS can make different payments for patients based on expected costs. Risk Adjustment Models are predictive, based on actuarial data that forecasts the cost of…

Topic: Outpatient CDI: Diabetes with Chronic Complication Office Visit 6/8/2020: 87-year old Caucasian female who lives with her son being evaluated today for diabetes. Her son reports elevated blood sugars in the past 4 weeks. Starting from yesterday the readings are 272, 172, 202, 242, and 198. These are on a daily basis in the morning….

Outpatient clinical documentation improvement (CDI) is in its infancy. As our experience grows in this arena, we gain new insights and move closer to nationally recognized best practices. But meanwhile, we face some challenges. The Top 3 Challenges in Outpatient CDI: Industry Standards are Not Yet Formed – In the coming years, processes and metrics…