What is the Importance of Clinical Documentation?

Emmel Golden, MD, FCCP, CCDS

The links to the article, Assessment of Potentially Preventable Hospital Readmissions After Major Surgery and Association with Public vs Private Health Insurance and Comorbidites by…

HCCs: Ambulatory vs Acute Care Setting

Eli Freilich, MD, CCDS

So you thought hierarchical condition categories (HCCs) only mattered in the outpatient arena, but this is a common misconception!  These diagnoses have an impact on various quality and mortality…

The COVID-19 Vaccine: How Does that Really Work?

Adriane Martin, DO, CCDS, FACOS

Vaccines have been around since the 18th century when Edward Jenner introduced the smallpox vaccine in 1796. There are four general categories of vaccines that…

To Code or Not to Code Brain Compression?

Emmel Golden, MD, FCCP, CCDS

Coding or not coding Brain compression (G93.5) caused by trauma is a topic of frequent discussion and confusion. Coding Clinic, Second Quarter 2020 page 31,…

2020 Challenges…and a Happy New Year!

Eli Freilich, MD, CHCQM-PHY ADV, CCDS

As we welcome in 2021 and say goodbye to 2020, we are still dealing with many issues of 2020. Covid-19 and is it active infection…

Wash Your Hands!

Adriane Martin, DO, CCDS, FACOS

First it was Covid 19 then murder hornets and now it’s flu season. Thankfully, flu activity for the 2020-2021 season is low according to the…

Acute Pancreatitis and…What Else?

Brett Senor, MD, CRC, CCDS

From an MS-DRG perspective, there are few disease processes that so commonly present with opportunities for CCs or MCCs that it …

That’s an HCC?

Brett Senor, MD, CRC, CCDS

Each year the impact of risk adjustment using CMS-HCCs is being recognized progressively more by those involved in any aspect of Population Health…

Documentation and Telehealth

Adriane Martin, DO, CCDS, FACOS

“The cat is out of the bag” said Jim Parker, a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services regarding telehealth. However, what…