CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

Course Overview

Your key to passing the CCDS exam

The CCDS Exam Prep Class Online is designed to assist in your preparation for the CCDS credentialing exam. The course reviews core CDI concepts and offers strategies in test taking with a goal to allow you to tackle the exam with confidence. Investing in your professional development requires a commitment of both time and resources. This course assists you in achieving your goal efficiently and effectively.

Who is the class for?
The CCDS Exam Prep Class Online is for students who meet the prerequisites to take the CCDS exam—including a minimum of two years’ work experience as a CDI specialist—and who intend to sit for the CCDS exam within the next six months. It does not provide general CDI education. Check out our CCDS Candidate handbook for more guidance: https://acdis.org/sites/acdis/files/Handbook_CCDS_CCDS-O_Final_0.pdf

For general CDI education, take a look at our CDI Boot Camp!

Class overview

The CCDS Exam Prep Class Online is an intense course covering 10 modules that will prepare candidates to take the CCDS certification exam.

During this course, our instructors cover the focus areas of the CCDS exam as outlined in the examination content outline (see the CCDS Exam Candidate Handbook). Some of these topics include:

• Healthcare regulations, reimbursement, and documentation requirements related to the inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS)
• Anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology
• Medical record documentation
• Healthcare facility CDI program analysis
• Communication skills
• Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
• Professionalism, ethics, and compliance
• Impact of reportable diagnoses on quality of care

Our instructors cover real-world study strategies for adult learners and test-taking skills to help students who have mastery of the subject matter but do not excel in the stress of a test-taking situation.

You will also receive access to the CCDS Exam Study Guide practice exam. If you have attempted to gain CCDS certification before, this class will break down the material covered in the exam to ensure you feel confident and competent when you next sit for it. The program also covers test-taking strategies, which helps students who have mastery of the subject matter but do not excel in the stress of a test-taking situation.

Benefits of program & features:

• Ask the Expert: You can also email questions to our instructors. We try to answer all questions either via email or phone within two business days.
• 60-day access to instruction after purchase: You have 60 days to work through all modules and complete assignments.
• 24-hour access: Instruction is available at any time of day—you choose the time that works for you.
• Expertly designed course materials: Course materials are developed by an adult education expert. The curriculum uses a "how to" approach where participants learn how to apply concepts that they can then customize to their organizational needs. Content is regularly updated based on changing industry practices and participant feedback.
• Well-established program: Brought to you by the Association of Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialists (ACDIS), this Boot Camp from the industry’s only dedicated CDI association provides the best-in-class education you expect.

Contact sales:
For more detailed information, contact us at 800-650-6787 or email sales@hcpro.com.

200+ started a course from this library within All-Access: CDI

CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

Who Should Attend

• CDI specialists
• CDI managers/directors
• Case management directors/managers
• HIM directors/coding managers
• Revenue cycle directors
• DRG coordinators
• Physician advisors/champions
• Quality improvement personnel

This education does not directly lead to or guarantee formal AHIMA or ACDIS certification. However, it is designed to prepare eligible candidates to sit for the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) examination.

CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

Course Content

Module 1: Examining the CCDS Exam

• This module looks at the outline of the exam and types of questions asked. It discusses recall, application, and analysis as well as the domains or objectives.   

Module 2: Healthcare Regulation and IPPS 

• Define the IPPS and the process by which it is updated and revised 
• Demonstrate a knowledge of MS-DRGs 
• Define and recognize complications/comorbidities under the MS-DRG system 
• Explain the impact of documentation on reimbursement through diagnosis and procedure code assignment 
• Discuss the relationship between documentation, principal diagnosis selection, and medical necessity of setting 
• Define case-mix index (CMI) and its relevance to CDI programs 

Module 3: Record Review and Communication with Physicians (Querying)

• Distinguish whose documentation can be used to report a code from those whose documentation can only be used as clinical indicators of a condition
• Describe the traditional role of the Clinical Documentation Specialist (CDS)
• Define the role of a “query” in CDI/coding
• Identify and discuss the resources available to guide when and how to query based on professional industry standards
• Incorporate industry guidance in the construction of simple queries
• Recognize the importance of creating policies to define the query process and discuss the basic elements that should be addressed in the policy

Module 4: The Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting

• Explain when the Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting are updated and where to obtain official information 
• Explain the role of AHA Coding Clinic® in code assignment 
• Define and apply the principles of principal diagnosis selection 
• Define and apply the principles of secondary diagnosis selection 
• Define the basics of the present on admission indicator assignment and explain its impact on payment 
• Explain how to assign a working DRG when multiple diagnoses are in play 
• Identify what CMS considers as hospital-acquired conditions 

Module 5: Tutorial on DRG Expert Module 6: A&P, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology

• Demonstrate ability to interpret medications as clinical indicators to support query opportunities 
• Identify diagnostic tests as possible clinical indicators to support query opportunities 
• Identify and apply clinical indicators and query opportunities typically targeted by CDI professionals related to common medical conditions, such as: 
• CVA 
• Encephalopathy 
• Seizures 
• Respiratory failure 
• Ventilation support 
• Acute MI 
• Heart failure 
• Neoplasms 
• Acute kidney injury 
• Anemia 
• Infectious disease 
• Injuries 
• Poisonings/adverse reactions 
• HIV infections

Module 6: Impact of Reportable Diagnoses on Quality Measures

• Demonstrate knowledge of the significance of documentation and code assignment upon mortality index.
• Demonstrate knowledge of mortality reviews and interpreting observed to expected ratios.
• Define how quality data are acquired through record abstraction and claims data.
• Explain the significance of the following CMS quality metrics:
• Hospital Value-Based Purchasing
• Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program
• Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program
• Analyze the financial impact of the Hospital Quality Reporting Program on an organization and the role of CDI regarding CMS quality initiatives.
• Identify the components of PSI 90 and its impact on quality measures.

Module 7: Ethics, Professionalism, and Compliance

• Maintain confidentiality of the medical record and relevant information to the practice of CDI 
• Identify initiatives that ensure DRG compliance 
• Identify areas of potential DRG creep as identified by the Office of Inspector General 
• Explain the goals and objectives of a CDI department beyond reimbursement 
• Identify potential compliance risk as identified PEPPER data 

Module 8: Impact of Reportable Diagnoses on Quality Care Measures

• Demonstrate knowledge of how documentation and code assignment affects the mortality index 
• Demonstrate knowledge of mortality reviews and interpretation of observed-to-expected ratios 
• Define how quality data are acquired through record abstraction and claims data 
• Explain the significance of these CMS quality metrics: 
• Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program 
• Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program 
• Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program 
• 30-day mortality measures 
• Analyze the financial impact of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program on an organization and the role of CDI regarding CMS quality initiatives 
• Identify the components of PSI 90 and its impact on quality measures 

Module 9: CDI Program Analysis

• Demonstrate the ability to analyze data and evaluate a CDI program’s trends:
• CDI productivity metrics 
• Provider response rates 
• CMI 
• Recognize the importance of the following metrics for evaluating CDI program performance:
• CMI 
• CC/MCC capture 
• Severity of illness/risk of mortality 
• Hospital value-based purchasing measures 
• Patient Safety Indicators 
• High-frequency DRGs 
• Identify methods for measuring physician performance related to documentation 
• Demonstrate an ability to track and trend data to measure individual physician performance over time 
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of PEPPER 

Module 10: The Exam Experience and Test-Taking Tips

Course Pre-Requisites

This course requires the following pre-requisites:

• The CCDS Exam Prep Class Online is for students who meet the prerequisites to take the CCDS exam and who intend to sit for the CCDS exam within the next six months.
• Candidates for the CCDS exam must meet one of the following three education and experience standards and currently be employed as either a concurrent or retrospective clinical documentation integrity specialist:
• An RN, RHIA, RHIT, MD or DO and two (2) years of experience* as a concurrent or retrospective documentation specialist in an inpatient acute care facility using the United States IPPS system.
• An Associate's degree (or equivalent) in an allied health field (other than what is listed above) and three (3) years of experience* as a concurrent or retrospective documentation specialist in an inpatient acute care facility using the United States IPPS system. The education component must include completed college-level course work in medical terminology and human anatomy and physiology.
• Formal education (accredited college-level course work) in human anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, and disease process, or the AHIMA CCS or CCS-P credential, and a minimum of three (3) years of experience* in the role as a concurrent or retrospective documentation specialist in an inpatient acute care facility using the United States IPPS system.
• *A year of experience is defined as full-time employment or greater than 2,000 hours worked during that year.
• This course requires the following materials: Students may find a copy of DRG Expert helpful during the course and CCDS examination; however, it is not required.

CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

Continuing Education

This class does not offer continuing education credits.

CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

Frequently Asked Questions

Laurie Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CRC, is an experienced CDI subject matter expert, former interim ACDIS director, and former CDI education director at HCPro. While at ACDIS and HCPro, she was also the lead developer and instructor for the CDI Boot Camps as well as a member of the CCDS-O certification committee and the ACDIS Advisory Board; she also frequently spoke on the ACDIS Podcast and at ACDIS conferences and webinars. She is the author of The Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist's Complete Training Guide and the ACDIS Pocket Guide series. Prescott has served in a variety of health systems and settings since joining the nursing profession in 1985 and she developed and implemented a CDI program in 2007.

CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

Preview This Course

Explore a sample of this course below. The interactive preview is available for 10 minutes.

CCDS Exam Prep Class Online

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long will the online content remain accessible after class ends?

   The online portal location for your class sessions and materials will be available for 60 days from the purchase date.

   You must complete the course evaluation in order to get your continuing education/contact hour certificate, so please be sure to complete the course before your access expires.
   
   

2. Is there a discount for ACDIS, NAHRI, or AHIMA members?

   Yes, ACDIS, NAHRI, or AHIMA members receive $150 off the registration fee. Contact us at 800-650-6787 or email sales@hcpro.com.
   
   

3. Does this education lead to a formal AHIMA or ACDIS certification?

   This education does not directly lead to or guarantee formal AHIMA or ACDIS certification. However, it is designed to prepare eligible candidates to sit for the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) examination.
   
   

4. How does it work?

   You'll receive the same content and instruction that you would experience at our classroom-based, nationally recognized boot camps. Here’s how it works:

   • 60-day access from your purchase date: View sessions, ensure understanding with questions that test your knowledge, and complete the final exam to obtain CEU credits.
   • 24-hour access: Modules are available at any time of day—you choose the time that works for you.
   • Ask the Expert: Email questions to our instructors. We try to answer all questions either via email or phone within two business days.
     
     

5. What is the focus of the CCDS Exam Prep Class Online?

   The focus of the CCDS Exam Prep Class Online is on preparing students who wish to sit for the CCDS examination.
   
   

6. Will this class guarantee a passing score for the CCDS?

   No. This class will assist you in your exam preparation. During the comprehensive review conducted in this class, you are likely to identify areas in which you need further study due to your experience level or the type of organization in which you work.
   
   

7. How does this class complement the exam?

   The class follows the content outline of the exam, touching on the specific domains of learning that the exam assesses. It provides an overview of the topics relevant to CDI practice and CDI competency.
   
   

8. Does the class provide a practice exam?

   Yes! Class attendees will receive access to the CCDS Exam Study Guide practice exam.
   
   

9. What manuals are needed for class?

   You will need to bring a copy of DRG Expert to class. You will also need this manual if you plan on taking the CCDS Exam.
   
   

10. What is the focus of this class?

    This class highlights the core skills of a practicing CDI professional, including reimbursement, coding practices, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, CMS quality measures, CDI metrics and professionalism.
    
    

11. Does HCPro ever share contact information (e.g., name, address, phone number, email address, etc.) with other companies?

    Historically, we have not shared contact information with anyone outside of our company. However, it is possible that at some point we might share contact information with other companies that offer products and services that we think would be of interest to our customers. If you would like us to keep your contact information confidential, please let us know so that we can flag your information in our customer database as "Do Not Share."
    
    

12. What if I need to cancel or transfer my registration?

    Cancellation Policy
    Please click here to view our cancellation policy.
    
    

13. How do I get more information?
    Contact our sales team at 800-650-6787 or email sales@hcpro.com.
    
    

Dates

Below is the current course schedule for upcoming CCDS Exam Prep Class Online classes.