Intro to QDI
Utilizing the Elixhauser risk adjustment model, the QDI application identifies potentially missed inpatient comorbidity documentation and generates prioritized CDI Specialist work queues.
How QDI Works
QDI is the connection between data and action. Tendo processes patient data from a healthcare organization’s Electronic Health Record through an online analytical processing (OLAP) system. Tendo’s proprietary engine analyzes the data, including information from patient encounters, diagnoses, BMI, medications, procedures, labs, and care team notes to identify current and past risk-adjusted comorbidities that patients may have. The data feed frequency is daily.
Based on a set of configurable parameters provided by a healthcare organization, the engine analyzes the data inputs to identify Elixhauser risk-adjusted conditions or comorbidities that potentially have not been documented or were missed during in-patient encounters. Comorbidity examples include obesity, weight loss, coagulopathy, chronic and/or acute renal failure, congestive heart failure, cancer, hypernatremia, and hyponatremia. The Elixhauser Comorbidity Index is a weighted measure of overall severity of comorbidities. The higher the weight, the higher the predicted hospital length of stay, hospital charges, readmissions, and in-hospital mortality.
The comorbidity opportunity cases generated by the engine are presented to CDI Specialists in the QDI application as prioritized daily work lists. CDI Specialists can review the opportunities and keep track of their workflow progress using the fields and statuses provided on the case.
Who Uses QDI
CDI Specialists' goal is to increase the accuracy and thoroughness of medical record documentation. CDI Specialists review the evidence for comorbidities and suggested ICD-10 CM codes generated by Tendo for each patient case. The CDI specialists confirm and validate the suggested codes, called opportunities, by reviewing cases in a patient’s medical record within the healthcare organization’s EHR. When needed, the CDI Specialist queries the patient’s provider using the organization’s existing query process or system. The specialist indicates the query status and its resolution on the case. After the provider replies to a query, the CDI specialist completes the opportunity and closes the case.
CDI Managers have visibility to all of the cases within the QDI application, and can manage CDI Specialist case loads by assigning or reassigning cases. They can review or work on cases directly. Additionally, they can view reports on comorbidity trends and their team’s productivity.