VAP/CAUTI

katysuegood@gmail.com

Do you query for VAP’s and CAUTI’s? If so, what criteria do you use? I am specifically wondering if you query for the connection between the vent/cath and the documented infection. If so, have you run into any push back from ID or Quality?

Thanks!

Katy Good, RN, BSN, CCDS, CCS
Clinical Documentation Program Coordinator
AHIMA Approved ICD-10CM/PCS Trainer
Flagstaff Medical Center
Kathryn.Good@nahealth.com
Cell: 928.814.9404

angelisa.romanello

Katy,
This is a great question. Our CDI program is actually part of the Quality department and IP is part of Quality. Many times they will ask us to query for specificity to assist with their documentation. We do query on occasion and we merely ask for the etiology of the specific infection. Our query form has a place for clinical indicators right below the question so we can indicate the extent of the vent, the chest x-ray showing the pneumonia and the organism if available.
I have to admit after 6 years, our physicians are very good at documenting both VAP and CAUTI. We have 7 ICUs between our facilities for we do see the VAP on occasion.

I have also been a part of a task force to reduce the number of CAUTI's. Our process, follow up intervention and nursing education has made a significant decrease in only 6 months.
Lisa


Lisa Romanello,RN,BSN,FNS,CCDS
Manager, Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
CJW Medical Center
Quality and Compliance
804-228-6527

evanspx@sutterhealth.org

Lisa: Would you be willing to share the clinical criteria your staff accepts to define VAP and CAUTI?

Thanks,

Paul Evans, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDS
 
Manager, Regional Clinical Documentation & Coding Integrity
Sutter West Bay
633 Folsom St., 7th Floor, Office 7-044
San Francisco, CA 94107
Cell:  415.637.9002
Fax:  415.600.1325
Ofc:  415.600.3739
evanspx@sutterhealth.org