Clinical Documentation Specialist, First Reviewer, Remote Multiple Locations

R179637 It's more than a career, it's a calling MO-REMOTE Worker Type: Regular Job Highlights: Additional Job Description • *Must have prior experience as a Clinical Documentation Specialist Required Qualifications: • 1 year of experience as a Clinical Documentation Specialist • Additional Two years' in an acute care setting or relevant experience • Graduate of accredited school of nursing, PA, NP, or medical school, or Associate's degree and Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) certification from the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (ACDIS) Preferred Qualifications: • CCDS certification • Proficiency with MS Office Tool - especially Excel. • Prior experience reviewing PSI (patient safety indicator) or experience with Vizient specialized mortality reviews. Eligible Remote States: Candidates are required to reside on one of SSM's approved States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Job Summary: Performs concurrent analytical reviews of clinical and coding data to improving physician documentation for all conditions and treatments from point of entry to discharge, ensuring an accurate reflection of the patient condition in the associated Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) assignments, case-mix index, severity of illness (SOI), and risk of mortality (ROM) profiling, and reimbursement. Facilitates the resolution of queries and educates members of the patient care team regarding documentation guidelines and the need for accurate and complete documentation in the health record, including attending physicians and allied health practitioners. Collaborates with coding professionals to ensure accuracy of diagnostic and procedural data and completeness of supporting documentation to determine a working and final DRG, SOI, and/or ROM. Job Responsibilities and Requirements: PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES • Completes initial reviews of patient records and evaluates documentation to assign the principal diagnosis, pertinent secondary diagnoses, and procedures for accurate diagnosis review group (DRG) assignment, risk of mortality (ROM), and severity of illness (SOI). Maintains appropriate productivity level. • Conducts follow-up reviews of patients every to support and assign a working or final DRG assignment upon patient discharge, as necessary. • Queries physicians regarding missing, unclear, or conflicting health record documentation by requesting and obtaining additional documentation within the health record when needed. Identifies issues with reporting of diagnostic testing proactively. Enhances expertise in query development, presentation, and standards including understanding of published query guidelines and practice expectations for compliance. • Educates physicians and key healthcare providers regarding clinical documentation improvement and the need for accurate and complete documentation in the health record. • Attends department meetings to review documentation related issues. Conducts independent research to promote knowledge of clinical topics, coding guidelines, regulatory policies and trends, and healthcare economics. • Collaborates with coding to reconcile the DRG and resolves mismatches utilizing the escalation policy. Troubleshoots documentation or communication problems proactively and appropriately escalates. • Reviews and clarifies clinical issues in the health record with the coding professionals that would support an accurate DRG assignment, SOI, and/or ROM. Assists in the mortality review and risk adjustment process utilizing third-party models. • Demonstrates an understanding of complications, comorbidities, SOI, ROM, case mix, and the impact of procedures on the billed record. Imparts knowledge to providers and other members of the healthcare team. Maintains a level of expertise by attending continuing education programs. • Applies the existing body of evidence-based practice and scientific knowledge in health care to nursing practice, ensuring that nursing care is delivered based on patient’s age-specific needs and clinical needs as described in the department's scope of service. • Works in a constant state of alertness and safe manner. • Performs other duties as assigned.​ EDUCATION • Graduate of accredited school of nursing, PA, NP, or medical school, or Associate's degree and Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) certification from the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (ACDIS) EXPERIENCE • Two years' in an acute care setting or relevant experience PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS • Frequent lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 0-25 lbs. • Frequent sitting, standing, walking, reaching and repetitive foot/leg and hand/arm movements. • Frequent use of vision and depth perception for distances near (20 inches or less) and far (20 feet or more) and to