Pass the AHIMA Documentation Integrity Practitioner (CDI) CDIP Questions and answers with CertsForce

A CC/MCC capture rate is a metric that measures the percentage of cases that have at least one complication or comorbidity (CC) or major complication or comorbidity (MCC) coded in the medical record. This metric is important for a CDI program because CCs and MCCs affect the severity of illness, risk of mortality, and reimbursement of the cases under the Medicare Severity-Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG) system. A higher CC/MCC capture rate indicates a more accurate and complete documentation of the patient’s condition and the resources used to treat them. A CDI program can use this metric to monitor the effectiveness of its queries, education, and feedback to the providers and coders. A CDI program can also compare its CC/MCC capture rate with national or regional benchmarks to identify areas of improvement or best practices 2.

References: 1: AHIMA CDIP Exam Prep, Fourth Edition, p. 133 3 2: The Natural History of CDI Programs: A Metric-Based Model 4

An open-ended query is a type of query that allows the provider to respond with free text, rather than choosing from a list of options or answering yes or no. An open-ended query is appropriate when the CDIP is looking for clarity on whether a diagnosis has been “ruled in” or “ruled out”, because it allows the provider to document the final diagnosis or impression based on the clinical evidence and reasoning. An open-ended query also avoids leading or suggesting a specific diagnosis to the provider, which could compromise the integrity and validity of the documentation. (Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice (2019 Update) - AHIMA1)

References:

Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice (2019 Update) - AHIMA1

 Severity of illness (SOI) and risk of mortality (ROM) are two metrics that measure the complexity and acuity of a patient’s condition, based on the number, nature, and interaction of complications and comorbidities (CCs) and major CCs (MCCs). SOI reflects the extent of physiologic decompensation or organ system loss of function, while ROM reflects the likelihood of dying. Both SOI and ROM are divided into four levels: minor, moderate, major, or extreme. These metrics are used to adjust payment rates, quality indicators, and performance measures for hospitals and other healthcare providers.

If a CDIP stops reviewing any record after a major CC is found, they may miss other CCs or MCCs that could affect the patient’s SOI and ROM levels. For example, a patient with pneumonia and sepsis would have a major CC (pneumonia) and an MCC (sepsis). If the CDIP stops reviewing the record after finding pneumonia, they would not capture sepsis, which would increase the patient’s SOI and ROM levels from major to extreme. This would result in underreporting the patient’s true complexity and acuity, and potentially lead to lower reimbursement, lower quality scores, and higher denial risk.

Therefore, the unintended consequence of this policy is a decrease in SOI and ROM levels for patients who have more than one CC or MCC.

References:

CDIP Exam Preparation Guide, 2021 Edition. AHIMA Press. ISBN: 9781584268530

Q&A: Understanding SOI and ROM in the APR-DRG system

3M™ All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR DRGs)

Severity of illness | definition of severity of illness by Medical dictionary

Using Severity Adjustment Classification for Hospital Internal and External Comparisons

The step that the clinical documentation integrity (CDI) manager should take to help avoid future Medicare violations is to collaborate with physician advisor/champion and revenue cycle manager. The physician advisor/champion can help with educating and engaging the physicians on the importance and impact of clinical documentation on coding, reimbursement, quality measures, compliance, and patient care. The revenue cycle manager can help with analyzing and monitoring the denial trends and patterns, identifying and resolving the root causes of denials, implementing corrective actions and preventive measures, and ensuring timely and accurate claim submission and appeal processes. References: : https://www.ahima.org/media/owmhxbv1/cdip_contentoutline_2023_final.pdf : https://my.ahima.org/store/product?id=67077

Educating physicians on severity of illness and risk of mortality is best accomplished by using case studies that demonstrate how documentation affects these indicators and how they impact patient care, quality outcomes, and reimbursement.

References: AHIMA. “CDIP Exam Preparation.” AHIMA Press, Chicago, IL, 2017: 97-98.

Levophed is a brand name of norepinephrine, a medication that is similar to adrenaline and acts as a vasopressor, meaning that it constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. Levophed is indicated to raise blood pressure in adult patients with severe, acute hypotension (low blood pressure) that can occur with certain medical conditions or surgical procedures1. One of these conditions is septic shock, which is a life-threatening complication of sepsis, a systemic inflammatory response to infection. Septic shock is characterized by persistent hypotension despite adequate fluid resuscitation, along with signs of organ dysfunction and tissue hypoperfusion. Levophed is used as a first-line vasopressor agent in septic shock to restore adequate perfusion pressure and tissue oxygenation.

Acute respiratory failure, multiple sclerosis, and acute kidney failure are not indications for Levophed treatment. Acute respiratory failure is a condition in which the lungs cannot provide enough oxygen to the blood or remove enough carbon dioxide from the blood. It can be caused by various lung diseases, injuries, or infections. The treatment of acute respiratory failure depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the condition, but it may include oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, medications to treat infections or inflammation, or other supportive measures. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, causing inflammation, demyelination, and axonal damage. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis vary depending on the location and extent of the nerve damage, but they may include vision problems, numbness, weakness, fatigue, cognitive impairment, or pain. The treatment of multiple sclerosis aims to reduce the frequency and severity of relapses, slow the progression of disability, and manage the symptoms. It may include immunomodulatory drugs, corticosteroids, symptomatic medications, physical therapy, or other interventions. Acute kidney failure is a condition in which the kidneys suddenly lose their ability to filter waste products and fluids from the blood. It can be caused by various factors that impair the blood flow to the kidneys, damage the kidney tissue, or block the urine output. The symptoms of acute kidney failure may include decreased urine output, fluid retention, nausea, confusion, or shortness of breath. The treatment of acute kidney failure depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the condition, but it may include fluid management, electrolyte replacement, dialysis, medications to treat infections or inflammation, or other supportive measures.

References:

CDIP Exam Preparation Guide, 2021 Edition. AHIMA Press. ISBN: 9781584268530

Levophed Uses, Side Effects & Warnings - Drugs.com

Levophed (Norepinephrine Bitartrate): Uses, Dosage … - RxList

Levarterenol, Levophed (norepinephrine) dosing … - Medscape

[Septic Shock: Practice Essentials … - Medscape Reference]

[Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for … - PubMed]

[Acute respiratory failure: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia]

[Multiple sclerosis - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic]

[Acute kidney failure - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic]

According to the AHIMA CDIP Exam Preparation Guide, a second-level review is a process that involves a review of coded records by a designated person or team to ensure the accuracy and completeness of coding and documentation1. A second-level review may be triggered by various factors, such as high-risk or high-dollar accounts, coding quality indicators, payer requirements, or internal audit findings1. One of the factors that is most likely to trigger a second-level review is a record with multiple major complicating conditions (MCCs)2. MCCs are diagnoses that significantly affect the severity of illness and resource utilization of a patient, and are assigned a higher relative weight in the DRG system3. A record with multiple MCCs may indicate a complex or unusual case that requires additional validation and verification of the coding and documentation. A record with multiple MCCs may also affect the reimbursement, risk adjustment, and quality scores of the hospital, and therefore may be subject to external scrutiny or audit4. The other options are not as likely to trigger a second-level review, as they are not as indicative of coding or documentation issues or risks. A procedure code that increases reimbursement may not necessarily require a second-level review, unless it is inconsistent with the documentation or the clinical indicators. A diagnosis that impacts a quality-of-care measure may be relevant for CDI purposes, but not necessarily for coding validation. An account coded before the discharge summary is available may be incomplete or inaccurate, but it may also be corrected or updated before final billing. References:

CDIP Exam Preparation Guide - AHIMA

Building a Resilient CDI: Second Level Review

Major Complications or Comorbidities (MCC) & Complications or Comorbidities (CC) | CMS

Demystifying and communicating case-mix index - ACDIS

The ICD-10-CM 7th character code value should indicate aftercare for a patient who falls off a ladder and undergoes a right femur procedure, and then returns to the hospital for removal of the external fixation device. Aftercare codes are used to capture encounters for follow-up care after completed treatment of an injury or condition, such as removal of external fixation devices, casts, or pins. Aftercare codes are not used for subsequent encounters for complications or infections related to the injury or condition5 References: 1: https://www.ahima.org/media/owmhxbv1/cdip_contentoutline_2023_final.pdf  5: https://my.ahima.org/store/product?id=67077

Creating policies and procedures for the query process will help eliminate confusion among CDI staff, providers, coders, and other stakeholders regarding the purpose, scope, format, and expectations of the query process. Policies and procedures should be based on industry standards and best practices, and should be reviewed and updated regularly.

References: AHIMA/ACDIS. “Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice (2019 Update).” Journal of AHIMA 90, no. 2 (February 2019): 20-29.