The clinical documentation integrity (CDI) metrics recently showed a drastic drop in the physician query rate. What might this indicate to the CDI manager?
Correct Answer: C
Explanation A drastic drop in the physician query rate might indicate to the CDI manager that the CDI staff need education on identifying query opportunities. The physician query rate is a metric that measures the percentage of records that have at least one query sent by the CDI staff to clarify or improve the documentation. A high query rate may reflect a high level of documentation quality issues or a high level of CDI staff vigilance and expertise. A low query rate may reflect a low level of documentation quality issues or a low level of CDI staff awareness and competence 2. Therefore, a drastic drop in the query rate could suggest that the CDI staff are missing some query opportunities or are not following the query policies and procedures. The CDI manager should investigate the reasons for the drop and provide education and feedback to the CDI staff on how to identify and address query opportunities effectively and compliantly 3. References: 1: AHIMA CDIP Exam Prep, Fourth Edition, p. 133 4 2: Understanding CDI Metrics - AHIMA 2 3: The Natural History of CDI Programs: A Metric-Based Model 5
Question 2
Which of the following is considered a hospital-acquired condition if not present on admission?
Correct Answer: D
Explanation Blood incompatibility is considered a hospital-acquired condition if not present on admission, according to the CMS Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program. This program reduces payments to hospitals that have high rates of certain conditions that are acquired during the hospital stay and could have been prevented by following evidence-based guidelines. Blood incompatibility is one of the 14 HAC categories that are included in the program, and it refers to a patient receiving a blood transfusion with incompatible blood type or Rh factor, which can cause serious adverse reactions such as hemolysis, anemia, renal failure, or death 23. Blood incompatibility is a preventable condition that can be avoided by proper blood typing and cross-matching before transfusion, and by following strict protocols and procedures for blood handling and administration 4. References: 1: AHIMA CDIP Exam Prep, Fourth Edition, p. 133 5 2: Hospital-Acquired Conditions | CMS 1 3: Hospital Acquired Conditions (HACs) - New York State Department of Health 3 4: Transfusion Reactions - Hematology and Oncology - Merck Manuals Professional Edition 6
Question 3
The BEST place for the provider to document a query response is which of the following?
Correct Answer: B
Explanation The best place for the provider to document a query response is the next progress note and the problem list because this ensures that the query response is timely, consistent, and integrated into the health record. According to the AHIMA/ACDIS query practice brief1, the provider should document the query response in the health record as soon as possible after receiving the query, preferably in the next progress note. The provider should also update the problem list to reflect any new or revised diagnoses resulting from the query response. This helps to maintain an accurate and comprehensive list of the patient's current and chronic conditions, which can facilitate continuity of care, quality reporting, and reimbursement. Documenting the query response in an addendum to the history and physical or only on the query form is not sufficient, as it may not capture the current status of the patient or be easily accessible to other providers or coders. References: CDIP Exam Content Outline (https://www.ahima.org/media/1z0x0x1a/cdip-exam-content-outline.pdf) Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice-2022 Update1
Question 4
A 77-year-old male with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is admitted as an inpatient with severe shortness of breath. The patient is placed on oxygen at 2 liters per minute via nasal cannula. History reveals that the patient is on oxygen nightly at home. CXR is unremarkable. The most compliant query is
Correct Answer: C
Explanation According to the AHIMA/ACDIS Query Practice Brief, a compliant query should provide multiple choice answer options that are supported by clinical indicators and include a non-leading query statement1. Option C meets these criteria, as it provides a list of possible diagnoses that are relevant to the patient's condition and asks the provider to indicate which one they are treating. Option C also does not imply or suggest a preferred answer or outcome, and allows the provider to choose unable to determine or other if none of the listed options apply. Option A is not compliant, as it does not provide any answer options and implies that the provider should order more tests to capture a higher severity of illness. Option B is not compliant, as it provides only one answer option and suggests that the provider should document it based on the clinical indicators. Option D is not compliant, as it provides only one answer option and implies that the provider should document it based on the indications. References: Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice (2019 Update) - AHIMA
Question 5
A physician documented the specific site of the malignancy in the medical record documentation; however, the coder is unable to locate a specific entry in the ICD-10- CM Alphabetical Index to match the specified diagnosis. Which abbreviation used in the Alphabetical Index will assist the coder in assigning the appropriate diagnosis code for the specified condition?
Correct Answer: D
Explanation The abbreviation NEC stands for "not elsewhere classified" and is used in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetical Index when a specific code is not available for a condition. The coder should use the NEC notation to locate the closest existing code that matches the documented diagnosis. For example, if the physician documented a malignant neoplasm of the left upper eyelid, but the Alphabetical Index only has an entry for malignant neoplasm of eyelid NEC, then the coder should use the code C44.10 (Unspecified malignant neoplasm of unspecified eyelid, including canthus) and assign a seventh character to specify laterality. (CDIP Exam Preparation Guide) References: CDIP Exam Content Outline1 CDIP Exam Preparation Guide2 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting FY 20213
