Manager, Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)

Department: Query Writer
Location: Remote
People Leader: Yes
FLSA Status: Exempt
Travel: Up to 15%

Summary

Company Summary

Accuity partners with hospitals and health systems through a technology-enabled, physician-led model that improves clinical documentation integrity, coding accuracy, reimbursement optimization, and quality outcomes.

Job Summary

The Manager, Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) is responsible for providing operational oversight and leadership for Accuity's Clinical Documentation Improvement programs, including day-to-day CDI operations and retrospective query writing services for client organizations. This role supports CDI leadership through staff management, auditing, reporting, education, mentoring, and client relationship management. The Manager collaborates with internal and client stakeholders to improve the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of clinical documentation, ensuring that the patient's true clinical picture is appropriately reflected while supporting compliant coding, reimbursement, and quality outcomes.

Responsibilities

Clinical Documentation Improvement Operations

• Provide oversight of daily CDI operations and retrospective query writing activities.
• Assist with chart and query review, approval, and auditing activities as necessary.
• Ensure adherence to CDI best practices, organizational standards, client requirements, and regulatory guidelines.
• Maintain the integrity of CDI processes by ensuring client-specific instructions, workflows, and query guidance remain current and accurate.
• Review CDI dashboard to monitor KPI reports and operational metrics to evaluate program effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare and monitor CDI Scorecards for POD and Clients  

Quality Assurance and Performance Management

• Conduct audits of clinical reviews and retrospective queries and maintain quarterly audit records for assigned staff.
• Monitor query writer productivity and quality in accordance with departmental standards and policies.
• Utilize audit findings, CPU leadership feedback, coding guidance, and industry best practices to evaluate performance and provide coaching.
• Identify opportunities for individual and team performance improvement and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Reviews cases for CDI Peer-to-Peer/escalations and leads client-facing discussions as CDI Subject Matter Expert.
• Prepares case presentations and leads client facing alignment discussion.
• Participates in client on-sties to optimize pilot engagement and client relationships.
• Promote consistency, compliance, and quality across all CDI activities.

Leadership and People Management

• Provide direct supervision, mentoring, coaching, and development for assigned CDI team members.
• Support onboarding, training, and continuing education initiatives for new and existing staff.
• Conduct annual performance evaluations and address interim performance concerns when necessary.
• Review and approve employee timecards each pay period.
• Manage staffing resources, including time-off requests, to ensure adequate operational coverage.
• Assist team members with workload management and provide direct support during periods of increased volume.

Client and Stakeholder Collaboration

• Develop and maintain productive relationships with client stakeholders and internal business partners.
• Collaborate with CDI leadership, Medical Directors, Coding, DRG Validation, Client Managers, Revenue Cycle Analysts, Query Processors, and client healthcare teams to improve documentation outcomes.
• Engage with client concurrent CDI teams to facilitate collaboration and support timely physician query responses.
• Contribute to strengthening client relationships through proactive communication and issue resolution.
• Participate in client meetings and operational discussions as needed.
• Identify operational, quality, staffing, and client risks and proactively escalate issues with recommended mitigation strategies

Program Implementation and Continuous Improvement

• Participate in new client implementations and team activities.
• Contribute to the development of CDI workflows and operational processes for new and existing clients.
• Support pilot programs by assisting with issue triage, workflow optimization, and stakeholder communication.
• Assist CDI leadership with special projects, departmental initiatives, and process improvement efforts.
• Recommend operational enhancements that improve efficiency, quality, and client outcomes.
• Utilize CDI performance dashboards and trend analysis to drive operational improvements and support leadership decision-making.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Support departmental and organizational initiatives that contribute to overall business objectives.

Qualifications

Education and Credentials

• CCDS (Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist) and/or CDIP (Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner) certification required.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred.
  • Other healthcare-related degrees may be considered based on relevant experience and qualifications.

Experience

• Minimum five (5) years of Clinical Documentation Improvement management experience.
  • Experience overseeing CDI operations, auditing, productivity management, and quality improvement initiatives.
  • Experience collaborating with physicians, coding professionals, healthcare leaders, and multidisciplinary teams.
  • Experience utilizing electronic medical records (EMRs), encoder systems, CDI technology platforms, and reporting tools.

Core Competencies

• Strong leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication abilities.
• Ability to effectively lead and engage remote teams.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to analyze data and utilize performance metrics to drive improvement.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Commitment to quality, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• High level of accountability, professionalism, and integrity.
• Ability to work independently while fostering collaboration across teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Ability to learn and navigate multiple EMRs, encoder systems, and healthcare technology platforms.

Additional Requirements

1) Physical Requirements: The requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations. Unless otherwise indicated, Accuity positions require interaction with people and technology while either sitting or standing. Employees must be able to communicate via phone, email, etc. and sit for extended periods of time, with or without reasonable accommodations. Physical effort and exposure to physical risk are limited to that of an office role / environment.

2) Position and Employment Statement: While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties from a job and to assign other duties as necessary and at any time. All positions at Accuity Delivery Systems, LLC, are at-will employment, and a position description is not a guarantee of a job or of job responsibilities.

While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties from a job and to assign other duties as necessary and at any time. All positions at Accuity are at-will employment, and a position description is not a guarantee of a job or of job responsibilities.