Inpatient Coding/Quality Educator - Hackensack Meridian Health

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At Hackensack Meridian Health we help our patients live better, healthier lives — and we help one another to succeed. With a culture rooted in connection and collaboration, our employees are team members. Here, competitive benefits are just the beginning. It’s also about how we support one another and how we show up for our community.

Together, we keep getting better - advancing our mission to transform healthcare and serve as a leader of positive change.

The Inpatient Coding/Quality Educator designs, delivers and evaluates coding education and training programs for Health Information and Ancillary staff for Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) network. Through a thorough understanding of the content of the Medical Record, locates information to support or provide specificity for coding. Facilitates improvement in overall quality, completeness and accuracy of medical record documentation for coding. Promotes improvement initiatives directed at system-wide quality indicators (i.e. Mortality, Patient Safety Indicators [PSI], Hospital Acquired Conditions, Severe Maternal Morbidity, etc.) and clinical evidence to support Diagnosis-related group (DRG), principal diagnosis, and secondary diagnoses assignments. Enables accurate documentation for severity of illness and medical necessity assesses patients for present-on-admission (POA) conditions to ensure accurate documentation, regarding hospital acquired conditions (HAC). Other duties may include, but are not limited to, performing second level Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) chart reviews for accuracy and compliance when there is a discrepancy in the Clinical Documentation Specialist and Coder DRG and coaching of the CDMP Team on PSI.

A day in the life of a Inpatient Coding/Quality Educator at Hackensack Meridian Health includes:

• Develop and administer curriculum for inpatient coder trainees to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for competency in accordance with the stipulations of professional and accreditation agencies.
• Provide regular feedback to the employee based on results of reviewing their coding accuracy during the training period.
• Provide focused education on areas identified that the trainee needs additional assistance with.
• Recommend hiring, terminating or probation extension of trainees based on findings during the training period.
• Design, develop and deliver education programs and in-services that meet the staff's needs for professional and personal development.
• Ensure the appropriate dissemination and communication of all changes that pertain to coding, coding guidelines and coding policies.
• Plan and develop curricula in accordance with the Medical Center's strategic goals, mission and business strategies to improve employee performance leading to quality data and to promote quality financial outcomes.
• Act as a resource to the coding staff when assistance is needed in coding a chart and when research is required to accurately code a chart.
• Develops education for appropriate sequencing of Principal diagnosis and the impact on severity of illness and Risk of Mortality.
• Provides clinical expertise and references to the coding staff as needed.
• Utilizes clinical skills to identify documentation opportunities that reflect severity of illness, acuity and resource consumption.
• Communicates with ancillary personnel to clarify potential documentation opportunities. Seek provider's clarification for any unclear, missing, conflicting, documentation.
• Extensively reviews all physician and clinical documentation, lab results, diagnostic information and treatment plans and captures appropriate information.
• Assist managers of Health Information and Ancillary departments with education & training needs assessment, program development and evaluation of staff competencies.
• RAC - Review and distribute letters to appropriate departments, i.e.

Education, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in a health-related field.
• Minimum of 7 years acute care coding with demonstrated expertise in ICD-10 and CPT coding.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in adult and continuing education, clinical assessment, organizational development and training.
• Thorough knowledge of the AHIMA Standards of Ethical Coding, AHIMA Managing an Effective Query Process.
• Thorough knowledge of the Coding Guidelines as outlined in Coding Clinic.
• Possesses comprehensive knowledge of APR DRGs Clinical Logic Fundamental Principles.
• Patient Safety/Quality Management experience.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft applications or other similar programs.
• Critical thinking, problem solving and deductive reasoning skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, organizational, analytical, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to interact well with physicians and other members of allied health care teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient computer skills including but not limited to Microsoft Office and Google Suite platforms.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

• Certified Coding Specialist.
• NJ State Professional Registered Nurse License.