How do you measure and demonstrate the impact and value of your CDI efforts to physicians and stakeholders?

1 Define your CDI goals and metrics

Before you can showcase your CDI results, you need to define what you are trying to achieve and how you are going to measure it. Goals and metrics for CDI may vary depending on the organization and scope of practice, but common ones include improving the case mix index (CMI), reducing the query response time and increasing the query agreement rate, enhancing documentation specificity and completeness, increasing the capture of quality indicators and clinical outcomes, and identifying and addressing documentation gaps and opportunities. These metrics can indicate the level of engagement with physicians, support coding accuracy and compliance, affect performance and reputation of the facility, as well as reveal areas of improvement and education.

2 Collect and analyze your CDI data

To ensure you meet your CDI goals and metrics, you should collect and analyze your CDI data on a regular basis. You can use CDI software or applications to automate and streamline the workflow and reporting. Additionally, electronic health records (EHRs) can provide access to the clinical documentation and coding. Data analytics platforms can help you visualize and interpret the CDI trends and patterns, while benchmarking reports can help you compare your performance with other facilities or standards.

4 Tailor your CDI message and tone

When presenting your CDI findings and recommendations, it's important to tailor your message and tone to the needs and preferences of your audience. You can use various strategies and techniques to customize your communication, such as highlighting the benefits and value of CDI, using examples and stories to illustrate its impact and success, avoiding jargon and acronyms, and being respectful and appreciative of the physicians and stakeholders. For instance, you can show how a specific documentation change led to a better diagnosis or treatment, while acknowledging their expertise, challenges, and contributions.

5 Solicit feedback and follow up

After presenting your CDI findings and recommendations, it's important to solicit feedback and follow up with your audience. To engage and collaborate with them, you can ask questions, conduct surveys or evaluations, provide resources and support, and monitor and track the progress of the CDI initiatives. This will help ensure that your CDI message is well received and acted upon.