Governing your facility’s case-mix index

Why This Topic Matters

Case-mix index can reflect how well documentation captures patient complexity, so changes may signal opportunities to improve CDI workflows and education. The article is useful for organizations that want to assess internal processes without relying on assumptions about a single cause.

Article Sections

1. CDI perceptions

   Discusses gathering feedback from CDI and coding staff about provider documentation trends and general communication issues. The section looks at how staff perceptions can help identify areas needing review.

2. The documenters

   Focuses on provider engagement with the CDI program and the role of group-level discussions in understanding documentation concerns. It also addresses broad education and onboarding issues for newly hired providers.

3. CDI investigations

   Reviews operational questions used to evaluate CDI specialists, including workload, productivity, coverage, staffing, and training. The section considers how program structure and resource allocation can affect CDI performance.

4. Examining the educators

   Looks at the responsibilities of CDI leaders and physician advisors, along with the need to maintain program focus despite competing duties. The section emphasizes the importance of ongoing education and self-review.