Conference corner: Learn from the best physician advisors around

Each year, ACDIS presents several pre-conference mini boot camp-style events in advance of the national conference in May. This year, the lineup includes the “CCDS Exam Prep Class” for those looking to take the next step in their careers, the “Mastering Clinical Concepts in CDI” class for experienced CDI professionals looking to deepen their clinical knowledge, and the ever-popular “Physician Advisor’s Role in CDI” class featuring education from three well-known physician advisors.

While the physician advisor class has been offered in the past, it’s a totally new ballgame each year thanks to new teachers and new agendas. The first part of day one will be taught by beloved doc, James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CCDS, CDIP, president of CDIMD, Physician Champions, based in Nashville, who’s famous for dropping such lines as “If a physician says it quacks, waddles, and flies south for the winter, the coder cannot say it’s a duck. It might be a goose.”

During his day one session, Kennedy will cover all the regulatory nuances CDI physician advisors need to know—from ICD-10 guidelines, to the IPPS rule, to quality reporting. “If you’re not on the table, you’re on the menu. That’s why it’s important for the CDI physician advisor to stay informed,” Kennedy often says.

After lunch on day one, Trey La Charité, MD, FACP, SFHM, CCDS, will take the reins. La Charité is a hospitalist at the University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, a clinical assistant professor, and the medical director of UTMC’s CDI program. During his afternoon session on day one, La Charité will lead a workshop on a topic he literally wrote the book on—denials and audits.

“In 2015, I wrote 44 appeal letters challenging DRG validation/coding denials. In 2016, I wrote 88 appeal letters. Last year, I penned 159. We already received more than 40 DRG validation denials in January of this year,” writes La Charité in this month’s CDI Journal. “Our patients simply cannot afford for us to take these new tactics lying down.”

After helping attendees navigate and fight denials, La Charité will continue on day two of the class to cover the nuts and bolts of a successful physician advisor position.

At the same time, attendees can choose a session lead by Nicole Fox, MD, MPH, FACS, CPE, associate chief medical officer at Cooper University Health Care in Camden, New Jersey, covering a brand-new case study from her program.

“One of the strengths of our program is physician engagement. We have a 100% response rate to our CDI queries,” Fox told ACDIS. Much of their success, comes from their physician advisors. “There’s no substitute for a practicing physician embedded in your CDI program who will proactively educate peers and handle any concerns that arise,”

So, join these three expert physicians and learn all you need to know to serve in the role or help physicians understand the value of CDI better.