J.A. Thomas & Associates Blog Clinical Documentation Improvement: What's in it for Patients and Physicians?

For providers, the days of earning full Medicare payment by simply submitting complete and accurate information are drawing to a close. In 2013, Medicare will begin paying health care providers and facilities based on the quality of care provided, not just the quantity of services. Then, starting in 2014, base payments will depend on the outcomes of the care documented. So how do we shape up before we face even bigger federal cuts? Simple. Clinical Documentation Improvement, or CDI, is an acronym that everyone in the industry should become familiar with. I sometimes like to think of CDI as investigative reporting for healthcare. CDI helps make sure the patient record is telling the true clinical patient story, including what care the physician provided and why -- to ensure the record is coded and billed appropriately. For healthcare facilities and physician practices to thrive through these changes they need to understand the value of CDI and its direct impact on both patients and physicians. To continue reading my post about the value CDI has on both patients and physicians, please click over to Nuance Healthcare's For the Health of IT blog: http://nuancehealthcareblog.com/