About the position Responsible for reviewing medical records to facilitate and obtain appropriate physician documentation for any clinical conditions or procedures to support the appropriate severity of illness, expected risk of mortality, and complexity of care of the patient, by improving the quality of the physicians’ clinical documentation. Exhibits a sufficient knowledge of clinical documentation requirements, MS-DRG Assignment, and clinical conditions and/or procedures. Educates members of the patient care team regarding documentation guidelines, including attending physicians, allied health practitioners, nursing, and case management. This is a hybrid role and requires the candidate to live within 1 hour of Anniston, AL.

Responsibilities

• Completes initial medical records reviews of patient records within 24-48 hours of admission for a specified patient population to evaluate documentation for accurate MS-DRG assignment, risk of mortality and severity of illness; and records findings in the designated CDI tool and/or host medical record system.
• Conducts follow-up reviews of patients every 24-48 hours or as needed up through discharge to support assigned working MS-DRG assignment upon patient discharge.
• Formulates physician queries regarding missing, unclear, or conflicting health record documentation by requesting and obtaining additional documentation.
• Collaborates with providers, case managers, nursing staff and other ancillary staff regarding documentation and to resolve physician queries prior to discharge.
• Communicates and completes Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) activities and coding issues for appropriate follow-up, provider education and DRG Miss-Match reconciliation.
• Assists with Provider education, rounding and communication regarding open queries for resolution.
• Stays current with AHA Official Coding and Reporting Guidelines, CMS and other agency directives for ICD10-CM and PCS coding.
• Attends CDI Boot camp, CDI/coding trainings annually and quarterly for inpatient coding.
• Attends monthly education lecture series (MELS) and all CDI/coding assigned learn share modules as well as any additional required CDI education.
• Assists in training department staff new to CDI.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Proficient knowledge of disease pathophysiology and drug utilization
• Intermediate knowledge of MS-DRG classification and reimbursement structures
• Critical thinking, problem solving and deductive reasoning skills
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent computer skills including MS Word/Excel
• Knowledge of coding compliance and regulatory standards
• Excellent organizational skills for initiation and maintenance of efficient workflow
• Regular and reliable attendance
• Capacity to work independently in facility on-site setting
• Capacity to work independently in a virtual office setting if required for specific assignment
• Exhibit flexibility as needed to meet program needs
• Understand and communicate documentation strategies
• Recognize opportunities for documentation improvement
• Formulate clinically, compliant credible queries
• Ability to successfully comply to robust auditing and CDI program monitoring
• Ability to apply coding conventions, official guidelines, and Coding Clinic advice to health record documentation
• Active state Registered Nurse license; OR Graduate MD and/or FMD license

Nice-to-haves

• Acute Care nursing and/or Provider relevant experience
• Zero (0) to two (2) years CDI experience
• Two (2) plus years’ nursing experience – Medical/Surgical/Intensive Care and/or Case/Utilization Review
• Two (2) plus years’ Provider experience – Medical/Surgical/Intensive Care and/or Case/Utilization Review
• Graduate from a Nursing program, BSN, or graduate program; OR Graduate from Medical Doctor and/or Foreign Medical Doctor Program
• CDIP or CCDS

Benefits

• Must be able to travel as needed, not to exceed 10%.