Posts by Norwood Staffing
State of CDI in 2023: Outpatient CDI, sufficient staffing still a work in progress; opportunities abound!
By Brian Murphy CDI Week 2023 wrapped up in September and I thought I’d review the highlights (or at least most interesting bits) of my favorite annual ACDIS Survey: The CDI Week Industry Overview Survey. It’s always worth checking out this survey to get a handle on ongoing trends and year-over-year changes in…
Read MoreRisk adjustment coding and HEDIS measures: Birds of a feather
Can the work of a CDI specialist or risk adjustment coder impact HEDIS measures? It’s a question growing in importance, as reimbursement is tied to quality outcomes, and transparency and star ratings allow patients to shop for providers and health plans. Some believe HEDIS measures are impacted/satisfied only through the provision of clinical…
Read MoreA win for clinical truth: How Vaughn Matacale and Vidant prevailed against the OIG
Listen to the episode here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/PrC1cbFXCDb Severe malnutrition is a major predictor of mortality/morbidity. In a five-year observational study cited by the National Institutes of Health, malnourished patients showed an eight times greater risk of harmful falls during hospitalization as compared to well-nourished patients. Further, malnutrition is associated with increased risk for septic shock, acute…
Read MoreThe time for risk adjustment coding, outpatient CDI is now
By Brian Murphy In my ACDIS days we launched the CCDS-O (outpatient) certification in 2017. The response, while positive, was not nearly the same as the CCDS (inpatient) received in 2009. In hindsight we were ahead of the curve. While risk adjustment was a concern, and a big one for some facilities, for others the…
Read MoreDon’t hate on hospitals: Navigating the complexities of healthcare reimbursement with Jugna Shah, MPH
Stop hating on hospitals. It’s a sentiment most Off the Record podcast listeners would probably agree with. But not everyone. Hospitals are under assault in some corners, including the media and in the halls of government. We need a villain and hospitals often find themselves playing the role of fall guy. For example, many blame them…
Read MoreThe “Risky Business” of Risk Adjustment
Why risk adjustment coders are more valuable than ever By Crystal May, CCS, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, AAPC Approved Instructor, Senior Risk Adjustment Consultant, Norwood If you’re of a certain age, the title of this article probably conjured up the image of a popular male actor sliding across a wooden floor in a…
Read MoreHyponatremia and the bar of query: How much evidence before you clarify the presence of a diagnosis?
By Brian Murphy How much evidence do you need, or does your organization require, before you send a query? A broad and difficult question, and obviously much depends on the diagnosis in question. But I’m interested in the big picture. (As always with these types of posts, I stress that I’m neither a clinician or…
Read MoreBuilding and Reinventing Pediatric CDI Programs
Thursday, Sept. 21, 1-2 p.m. EST. Register here: https://my.demio.com/ref/Bvi1r8BxSduVGq0b It’s frequently been said (in the context of clinical medicine) that children are not just little adults. You can’t treat them the same way, even with a similar diagnosis. So why should pediatric CDI programs be any different? Pediatric CDI brings with it a unique array…
Read MoreImprove outpatient CDI outcomes, risk adjustment metrics with Owl by Norwood
The cat is out of the bag—or more appropriately, the Owl has flown the coop. The team at Norwood has been working behind the scenes on a piece of assistive software, and we’re ready to give it flight. Owl by Norwood was born out of a need we saw while performing chart audits…
Read MoreFinding your Ikigai: Nicole Fox on the art of balance amidst trauma
During my last conference as ACDIS Director in Oct. 2021 I had the pleasure of introducing Dr. Nicole Fox as our opening keynote. Nicole is not a professional lecturer but delivered one of the most impactful and inspiring speeches I’ve seen, covering her work as a pediatric trauma surgeon and her challenges as a single…
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