A win for clinical truth: How Vaughn Matacale and Vidant prevailed against the OIG

Listen to the episode here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/PrC1cbFXCDb Severe malnutrition is a major predictor of mortality/morbidity. In a five-year observational study cited by the National Institutes of Health, malnourished patients showed an eight times greater risk of harmful falls during hospitalization as compared to well-nourished patients. Further, malnutrition is associated with increased risk for septic shock, acute…

Read More

Don’t hate on hospitals: Navigating the complexities of healthcare reimbursement with Jugna Shah, MPH

off the record

Stop hating on hospitals. It’s a sentiment most Off the Record podcast listeners would probably agree with. But not everyone. Hospitals are under assault in some corners, including the media and in the halls of government. We need a villain and hospitals often find themselves playing the role of fall guy. For example, many blame them…

Read More

Lighting a CDI fire with Tom Brazelton, CDI medical director UW Health

off the record

News flash: Many (most?) physicians aren’t on board with CDI initiatives and coding practice. It’s understandable; they’re busy with patient care, and in their remaining hours are swamped with chart completion. Answering clinical queries and documenting with greater specificity is either seen as a chore or falls by the wayside entirely. Sometimes it takes real-world…

Read More

Legal eagle: Healthcare denials through the eyes of Sarah Mendiola

Denials are a reality of life in the mid-revenue cycle. And they’re not going anywhere. As Medicare Advantage (MA) grows—MA Organizations statistically deny more care than traditional Medicare—the volume of denied claims will only keep growing. I wanted to talk about this subject with someone who not only understands the current mine-filled landscape, but knows…

Read More