All Entries Tagged With: "CCDS"
Earn CCDS CE credits locally
In order to maintain your CCDS credential you must maintain ongoing CE credits.
Educational programs offer more than just the training you need to stay current or enhance your skill set. They are a great source of the continuing education (CE) credits you need to maintain your certification.
Many ACDIS local chapters offer CCDS CE credits for their programs (and the credits are free for local chapters). If you have a local chapter, take advantage of these learning and earning opportunities. If your local chapter doesn’t offer CCDS CE credit, ask your chapter leadership to apply. Better yet, volunteer to handle the application process. It’s quick and simple. Click here to download the application.
If you plan to attend a training that doesn’t specifically state it offers CCDS credits, ask the program sponsor to apply for CCDS CE units from ACDIS. The cost is minimal. Click here to download the application.
The entity that provides the training should give you a certificate or other notice that your participation earned you a specific number of CCDS credits. It is up to you to keep track of which programs you attend and to maintain a file of your certificates.
ACIDS audits a percent of recertification applications each month and you may be required to submit proof you attended training sessions. If you mail your recertification application, attach copies of your certificates—it saves time if you are audited.
Cutoff nears for May 12 San Diego CCDS Exam
Are you planning to take the CCDS Exam at the ACDIS Conference in San Diego on Saturday May 12?
You must register for the San Diego location no later than April 11, as we have to submit the list of names to the exam company three weeks in advance. You will not be admitted to the exam room if your name isn’t on the list.
Click this link for exam particulars and to register. Email Penny Richards with questions.
Good luck!
Your CCDS isn’t tied to your ACDIS membership
I’ve been reaching out to people whose CCDS credential expired in 2011. Most of these folks are among the first who
I wonder who else will be wearing a purple hat in San Diego.
earned the credential, and knowing how hard they worked to earn it, we hate to see them lose it.
In the course of chatting with people, a few were confused about the relationship between their CCDS credential and their ACDIS membership. They thought that renewing their ACDIS membership each year automatically translated to the CCDS credential.
One has nothing to do with the other. You become an ACDIS member when you pay the membership fee. There is no exam required.
The CCDS credential has strict educational training and experience requirements. Additionally, those who wish to earn the credential must pay a fee, pass an exam, and then renew the credential every two year by submitting proof of 20 continuing education credits and paying a renewal fee.
To summarize:
- Anyone can join ACDIS
- ACDIS members may be qualified to take the CCDS exam
- CCDS holders may be ACDIS members
(That list reminds me of those awful logic problems from middle school. Remember those? Here’s one: Penny, Melissa, and Brian went to the ACDIS Conference, one by plane, one by train, and one on horseback. One carried a suitcase, one carried a newspaper, and one carried a laptop. Who wore the purple hat?)
You don’t need to be an ACDIS member to hold the CCDS. Plenty of stuff is free on the ACDIS site, like this blog. So, why join ACDIS?
(Here comes “the pitch”). Your ACDIS membership connects you on a deeper level with other CDI professionals, products, and services. You get:
- Free participation in quarterly conference calls and in the ACDIS e-mail group CDI Talk
- Free full access to the ACDIS web site, including the online Forms & Tools Library full of documents you can download and customize, and archives of featured articles
- A free subscription to the quarterly electronic CDI Journal
- Free access to the ACDIS elearning library for online courses that offer CDI, coding, and case management continuing education credits
- Member-only discounts for the annual ACDIS conference, CDI products, and the CCDS exam and/or re-certification
ACDIS membership is well-priced at $129 a year. (Members of local ACDIS chapters receive a discount on National membership which brings that cost to under $100. Talk to your local chapter leaders to learn more. Take advantage of the discounts and it will more than pay for itself every year. For instance, you can earn free CEUs for your CCDS and save $100 on the CCDS renewal fee. (End of “the pitch”.)
When does your CCDS expire? Are you ready with at least 20 CEUs? Got a renewal question? E-mail me at prichards@cdiassociation.com. I’m here to help.
P.S.
I’ll be the one in San Diego in the purple hat.
2012 ACDIS Conference includes new initiatives
Join us in beautiful San Diego for the 5th Annual ACDIS Conference.The 2012 5th Annual ACDIS Conference will be more exciting than ever, offering two days and three tracks of sessions on the latest trends and cutting-edge techniques to build, improve, and enhance CDI programs. We strongly recommend early registration to save more than $200. Also if you are planning to stay through the weekend, hotel rooms quickly sell out, so we encourage you finalize your plans as soon as possible.
You will gain a deeper understanding of the new coding and documentation requirements under ICD-10, strengthen your medical records for RAC review, and learn how to bring new initiatives like observation and pediatrics to your program when you attend this year’s Annual ACDIS Conference in San Diego, May 11-12. Sessions on shock and kidney disease and cardiac diagnoses will deepen your understanding of pathophysiology and open up new query opportunities.
Return to your organization recharged and with a new level of proficiency for continued CDI success.
Visit the web site for new detailed session descriptions and faculty information.
What’s new at the 2012 conference
- Exciting new keynote speaker Dr. Janet Lapp speaks on “Change: The Choice is Ours”
- DOJ attorney discusses Medicare claims recoupment case
- More sessions than ever, including breakouts on neonatal and pregnancy reviews, at-home work arrangements, career ladders, and ICD-10
- Tracks on compliance, and on quality and its relationship to CDI
Join us for two exciting pre-conference events
The Physician Advisor’s Role in CDI: A Collaborative Approach for Success | May 8-9, 2012. Participants found this session was so valuable during the 2011 conference they asked us to expand it to two days. This seminar provides in-depth coverage of the essential functions of the physician advisor and his or her successful integration with the clinical documentation improvement (CDI) department. Participants will walk away with a thorough grounding in the goals and objectives of a CDI program, definitions of problematic terms in ICD-9 and ICD-10 and solutions for to resolve coding vs. clinical clashes, and strategies to promote physician engagement. Click here for more information or to register now.
ICD-10 for CDI Boot Camp | May 8-9, 2012. This intensive two-day course was developed especially for CDI specialists to provide an introduction to the fundamentals of ICD-10 coding. You’ll learn the differences between ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, understand major changes to official coding guidelines, and develop the confidence to tackle the new system and query physicians for the greater specificity in documentation that the ICD-10 code set requires. Our expert faculty will review the codes and provide practical examples for hands-on learning. Click here for more information or to register now.
Don’t forget about the CCDS Exam
Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) Exam | May 12, 2012. The CCDS credential is the recognized professional certification for CDI specialists. A paper-and-pencil administration of the exam will be held Saturday, May 12, 2012 in San Diego. Exams are also held at computerized testing centers nationwide. Candidates who wish to take the exam must meet general requirements and one of four specified routes. You can learn more about prerequisites or apply online at www.cdiassociation.com/certification.
We’re looking forward to seeing you in San Diego!
What constitutes a CCDS continuing education unit?
I had some messages in my inbox the other day from holders of the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) credential wondering what constitutes a CCDS continuing education unit (CEU). They asked:
- What does it mean that I need 20 CCDS CEUs to recertify?
In order to maintain your CCDS credential you must maintain ongoing continuing education credits. Tracking your CE efforts is your responsibility.
- Do CEUs need to pertain to the field of clinical documentation or are CEUs for nursing re licensing acceptable?
- Can we use all of our coding and training CEUs toward our CCDS?
- We have a cancer conference at our facility twice a month. Would these sessions count toward our CCDS?
CCDS CEUs must be relevant to clinical documentation improvement. Here is a list of activities that qualify for CEUs toward CCDS re certification (this document is available on the ACDIS website):
- Annual ACDIS conference (one CEU for each hour of participation)
- Other related allied health conferences (e.g., nursing, case management, etc.) (one CEU for each hour of participation)
- Other related association conferences (e.g., AHIMA, AAPC, etc.) (one CEU for each hour of participation)
- Audio conferences/Webinars/e‐learning courses relevant to the CDI profession or hospital inpatient coding/documentation (one CEU for each hour of participation)
- CMS‐sponsored webinars and/or workshops, either from CMS national events or Medicare Administrative Contractors (one CEU for each hour of participation)
- Attending college courses for credit or degrees. (15 CEUs for each semester credit, 10 CEUs for each quarter credit)
- Presenting seminars/speaking engagements (two CEUs for each half hour of presentation time)
- Nursing CEUs: ACDIS will honor 1‐for‐1 CEUs relevant to clinical (disease or diagnosis) education or documentation improvement
- CME credit: ACDIS will honor 1‐for‐1 CEUs for any live event offering CME credit
- Participating in the ACDIS CDI Work Group or ACDIS committees (number of CEUs to be determined based on length of participation)
Ask for CCDE CEUs at other learning opportunities
If you plan to attend a training that doesn’t specifically state it offers CCDS credits or if the program doesn’t fit into the parameters listed above as a qualified activity, ask the program sponsor to apply for CCDS CEUs. The process is painless and the cost is minimal. Click here to download the application.
The entity that provides the training should provide you with a certificate or other notice that your participation earned you a specific number of CCDS credits. It is up to you to keep track of which programs you have attended and to maintain a file of your certificates in case you are audited.
ACDIS Local Chapters may apply for CEUs at no cost.
Many ACDIS local chapters offer CCDS CEUs for their programs. If you have a local chapter, take advantage of these opportunities. If your local chapter doesn’t offer CCDS CEUs, ask about them. Better yet, offer to help chapter leadership by offering to handle the application process.
And if you don’t have a local chapter… reach out to ACDIS Associate Director Melissa Varnavas to talk about getting one started near you!
Additions made to the CCDS exam instruction handbook
Are you planning to take the CCDS exam? We made some revisions to the Certified Clinical
If you are thinking about taking the CCDS exam the first step to take is to review the CCDS Candidate Handbook.
Documentation Specialist Candidate Handbook, which include sections for appeals and disciplinary policies as well as:
- Updates to the list of Advisory Board members
- Updates to addresses and contact information for the ACDIS office
- Clarification regarding the permitted use of handwritten notes in the margins of allowable exam resources
No eligibility changes
Perhaps most important for you to know is that we have NOT changed the eligibility requirements. There are four routes you can take for eligibility and all require a combination of work experience and successful completion of formal educational training.
Click here to download a copy of the CCDS Candidate Handbook.
Once you receive notice of your eligibility to take the exam, you can schedule to take the exam at your convenience at a location of your choosing.
The exam is also given annually at the ACDIS Conference. Details about how to schedule your exam at the 2012 Conference in San Diego (May 10-11) will be published on the ACDIS website shortly. For more information about the conference, visit the conference web page.
Tip: Keep track of your ongoing CCDS CE activities
In order to maintain your CCDS credential you must maintain ongoing continuing education credits. Tracking your CE efforts is your responsibility.
You’re probably wondering…. “Do they really spot check/audit certification and recertification applications?” Yes, we do.
If you can’t provide the appropriate documentation, we can’t approve your application. And we won’t. That might sound harsh, but think about it. Whether you’re applying to take the exam or recertifying your credential, it’s a sign of your commitment to excellence and that deserves tremendous respect.
By auditing applications, we are doing our part to maintain the integrity of the credential that you work hard to achieve and maintain. It would not be fair to you or any of your worthy colleagues to let someone slip in without giving it their heart and soul, just as you have.
Auditing your application is not an indication that we don’t trust you. We review each application carefully to be sure it includes all of the information required. Periodically and completely at random, we pull applications from those that pass the initial review and take a closer look.
We call employers to verify your employment and how long you’ve been on the job. We ask for copies of your continuing education certificates.
It’s important that you seek and retain certificates when you earn CEUs. That may be your only way to verify you rightfully earned the credits. You’ve heard it before, C.Y.A. “Cover Your Assets.” Your CCDS credential is a valuable asset—don’t let missing, incomplete, or erroneous documentation of your continuing education efforts be the reason you lose it.
ACDIS Introductions: Member Services Specialist Penny Richards
ACDIS Member Services Specialist Penny Richards and her daughter PJ clearly know how to have fun.
Hello! I’m Penny Richards the new ACDIS Member Services Specialist. I’m thrilled to be working with ACDIS Director Brian Murphy and Associate Director Melissa Varnavas in this very exciting and growing segment of the healthcare industry.
In this role, I will be your primary contact for membership questions. Among my responsibilities are managing the certification and recertification processes, spot auditing applications (be sure you have all your back up paperwork and continue education certificates), maintaining certification lists, processing delivery of certificates and pins, answering the growing number of employer inquiries about certification verification… and on and on.
I’ll be writing for the ACDIS Blog, posting to Facebook and hopefully bringing ACDIS to Twitter in the near future. I am certainly going to be busy!
I joined HCPro in 2000, in the editorial department writing newsletters dedicated to the outpatient and ambulatory center arenas. In 2002 I transferred to the marketing department and worked to help get the word out about all the great products HCPro created for health information management and revenue cycle professionals. And I was there when ACDIS launched and wrote almost every piece of ACDIS marketing you may have received in your e-mail or snail-mail box.
Now, I’m back in editorial and thrilled to be a member of the ACDIS team.
What more can I tell you about myself? Before coming to HCPro, I spent 10 years as a mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper doing local and features reporting and won a New England Press Association Award for history reporting in 2000. I published a book about my “sally” with breast cancer in 2007, and write two personal blogs.
I’m an independent voter, first-born who has trouble saying “No”, and would run away with the James Bond-era Sean Connery (my husband of 36 years is very patient with this statement). I am very fond of dirty vodka martinis and will clean the kitchen if you’ll cook.
I’m a Justice of the Peace in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (many states allow a one-day-one-marriage license, so I can perform weddings out of state… give me a call!) as well as a Notary Public and a hospice volunteer. I stay busy but not so much that I can’t sneak away to Maine for occasional “Attitude Adjustment Days.”
Please drop me a line if I can be of assistance and look for me on Facebook. I’m excited to be a member of the ACDIS team and look forward to working with you!
Quarterly Membership Call: ACDIS members tout CCDS certification
CCDS certification discussed during latest Quarterly Membership Call
The state of the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist credential was discussed during the most recent ACDIS quarterly conference call (listen to an on-demand recording of the session in the archives). Many CDI professionals wondered whether the new AHIMA CDI certification would have any affect on the goals, processes, or standing of the CCDS certification.
The simple answer to those questions is no, Brian Murphy, CPC, ACDIS Director told listeners on the call. The CCDS certification has been the standard for CDI professionals for more than two years. Nearly 750 professionals have achieved certification.
The CCDS certification is now included as one of the national certifications that may be submitted on the Demographic Information Form (DIF) as part of the data requirements for making application for Magnet Recognition Program® designation. (View this information on the ANCC/Magnet Recognition Program page here and scroll down to “Selected Examples of National Certifications for Submission on the DIF” and click on the excel link.)
Although the ANCC does not endorse any certifications, Murphy said, the ANCC evaluates certifications to determine if they meet the criteria for the Magnet Recognition Program. The CCDS met these requirements and may now be submitted on the DIF for hospitals seeking to apply for Magnet Recognition Program® designation.
Furthermore, Murphy told listeners that ACDIS is in the process of obtaining certification for the CCDS exam and credential through a national accreditation body. The process is lengthy and requires a number of internal procedures before the paperwork can be submitted for review but ACDIS hopes to accomplish this task in 2012.
Finally, some employers have listed the CCDS as “preferred” and several have contacted ACDIS to perform credential verification.
There are no plans to revamp the exam in the near term, Murphy indicated. The CCDS Certification Committee is charged with keeping the exam up to date based on any industry/regulations changes. The committee, in conjunction with Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc., (AMP), updates CCDS exam questions as necessary to address those changes. The exam is expected to undergo extensive revisions in 2013 in preparation for ICD-10.
“I think your organization has high standards and that really impressed me before I even started looking into certification,” said one caller.
We are glad she thinks so. We think so too.
Defining expertise, determining professional advancement
What are your professional expectations? How do you define CDI expertise?
I have a question for all of the CDI professionals who feel they have achieved a genuine level of expertise (be it after two, three, or even five years): What do you consider as avenues for continued professional advancement, satisfaction, and development?
I’ve been thinking a lot about this question and musing on the idea of “expertise.” Specifically, I’ve been thinking about Patricia Benner’s book “From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice (Commemorative Edition).” In her book, Benner says the “expert” no longer relies on an analytic principle (rule, guideline, or maxim) to connect her or his understanding of the situation to an appropriate action. The expert nurse, with an enormous background of experience, now has an intuitive grasp of each situation and zeroes in on the accurate region of the problem without wasteful consideration of a large range of unfruitful, alternative diagnosis and solutions. She writes:
“Capturing the descriptions of expert performance is difficult, because the expert operates from a deep understanding of the total situation…” (p. 31-32).
This is not to say that the expert never uses analytical tools. Highly-skilled analytic ability is necessary for those situations in which the “expert” has no previous experience. Analytic tools are also needed for situations in which an expert perhaps receives inaccurate information or doesn’t have a grasp of the situation. When alternative perspectives are not available to the expert (in this instance, the clinician) the only way to resolve the issue of the incomplete/inaccurate grasp of the situation is by using analytic problem solving (Benner, p. 33).
An ACDIS poll asking the question, “How long did it take you to get up to speed as a new CDI specialist?” shows 34% say it can take anywhere from six months to a year to reach a comfortable level of proficiency in the role.
A more recent poll dug a bit deeper into the question asking, “How long do you think it takes to achieve an ‘expert’ level of proficiency as a CDS?” Many say it takes about two years but the majority suggests that an “expert” level of proficiency can be reached with one to three years of experience. This is not to suggest that achieving “expert” level should be an end-goal. Continued learning should never be stopped or even slowed, as there are always new and interesting tidbits to soak up. To the same “expert” poll question cited above, 32% responded: “Never, the rules are always changing.”
At some point, however, I suspect CDI core activities may become largely routine (dare I say even boring?). After reaching an “expert” level of proficiency, how does one maintain personal or professional interest, engagement, and excitement in their job?
Of course, one can challenge oneself by considering the component of team growth, by expanding CDI program goals and focus, and by focusing on building a better CDI program and team. (For some ideas on possible areas of program growth and expanded roles, read the related blog posts: “Finding a definition for failed CDI programs,” and “Commit to your own personal and professional achievement.”) However, at this point, I am thinking more about the perspective of the individual CDI specialist. [more]
