Query Escalation Policy

ccuney

Good Morning,

At the first of the year we are going to tackle creating a Query Escalation Policy to address our low query response rate. If any of you have this type of policy in place, can you share so I can have something to springboard from.

Thanks,
Carla Cuney
CDI Manager

zahnb

We do not have a policy; however, we treat unanswered queries as a
medical record deficiency and have the authority to suspend physician
privileges if there is no response.


Bonnie Zahn, RHIA, CHP, CHDA
Director, Health Information Management
Underwood-Memorial Hospital
509 N. Broad Street
Woodbury, New Jersey 08096
Phone: (856) 853-2112
Fax: (856) 251-0997
E-Mail: zahnb@umhospital.org

don.cdi.rn@gmail.com

My policy on query is in the F&T library, there is some material there.

For post-discharge queries, at one week and then again at 12 days the CDS who reviewed the record (if not reviewed, then coders distribute by 'home' floor assignments for the CDS) will attempt to directly contact the physician to encourage / facilitate a response.

Post-discharge queries just recently (2 months) became deficiencies (but not suspend-able). The unanswered query data are forwarded to our Physician executive who addresses outliers with individual physicians and service chiefs.

There is not a direct escalation policy for concurrent queries -- with the exception of escalating resident or NP/PA queries up to the attending. Partly, the majority of unanswered concurrent queries are posed by the coding professional (unless further documentation makes the query unnecessary).

Don

redjay2

Very interested in your task. We at our facility also have a slow response.