Case study: clinical documentation improvement program supports coding accuracy

Developing a comprehensive inpatient clinical documentation and coding improvement program that demonstrates successful outcomes and proves to be sustainable by the health care organization is a difficult process but significant in maintaining accurate coding and reimbursement under the Medicare system. This case study of one health care organization that undertook just such a comprehensive program, chronicles the steps involved, the categories of health care professionals necessary to support ongoing communication and education, and the need for physician partnerships to sustain the program and achieve results. The program had a positive impact with a net increase in reimbursement attributed directly to the case reviews and point of service clinical education. Creating a new position of Coding/Documentation Specialist, working at the point of care as a regulatory interpreter and coding expert, was found to be key to cementing the successful team approach to documentation quality.