HCPro, JustCoding Inpatient - 2021 Issue 31 (August)
Combing through COVID-19 case-mix index research
August 3rd, 2021
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Article Overview
This article is for CDI professionals, clinical analytics staff, physician advisors, and hospital quality teams interested in understanding how pandemic-era patient mix can influence case-mix index trends. It discusses a retrospective, data-based approach to separating COVID-19-related cases from other inpatient activity and interpreting changes in CMI and query-related metrics at a high level.
Why This Topic Matters
During the COVID-19 period, usual CDI and quality metrics could shift in ways that were difficult to interpret. The article matters because it offers a way to think about whether observed CMI changes are tied to pandemic-era case mix or to broader CDI and documentation practices.
Article Sections
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Gathering data
Introduces the retrospective review approach used to compare COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 inpatient cases during a defined time period. It also frames the broader challenge of interpreting fluctuating CDI metrics during the pandemic.
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Determining the impact of COVID-19 on CMI
Describes a method for estimating how one subgroup contributes to overall case-mix index trends over time. The section focuses on general analytical steps and underlying assumptions rather than specific code selection details.
What You Will Learn
- How pandemic-era patient mix can affect CDI and case-mix index interpretation
- How to compare subgroup case volumes and subgroup CMI at a high level
- How retrospective reporting can support analysis of metric variability
- What assumptions may affect interpretation of COVID-19-related CMI analysis
Who Should Read This
- Clinical documentation integrity professionals
- Clinical quality analytics staff
- Physician advisors
- Hospital revenue cycle teams
- Healthcare data analysts
Codes Discussed
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