CDI in the ER

smarko@cortlandregional.org

My facility recently had a consultant in to evaluate medical necessity/observation rate due to high volumes of observation patients (35%).  In the consultant's report, he suggested CDI in the ER along side an ER casemanager. Has anyone ever heard of this recommendation?

afloyd24

We are currently in the process of hiring a few fulltime positions in our ER department with plans to cross train for both Case Management and Clinical Documentation for the same reason.  It wasn't a consultant's recommendation, we just think it's what would work best for our facility.  We also have a higher than usual rate of observation patients or not getting the status right, order completed, etc. that has caused issues with denials.  We met as a group and made the decision to cross train for this reason. We are a smaller facility (200 bed or so) so cross training was the option we took.