CDI Educator Boot Camp

CDI Educator Boot Camp

Course Overview

ACDIS' brand-new training for CDI educators

The experienced team of ACDIS CDI educators has trained thousands of CDI professionals over the years. Now, they're bringing their expertise to fellow educators with the new CDI Educator Boot Camp.

Health systems have found the CDI educator role to be a valuable tool for developing system-based training programs, providing oversight through audits, standardizing education and onboarding, and elevating provider education. The CDI Educator Boot Camp teaches best practices so that CDI educators are equipped with the tools they need to train others.

The CDI Educator Boot Camp focuses on the role and responsibilities of the CDI educator. Through a dynamic blend of lecture and discussion, this course gives students the guidance they need to excel in the role. 

The class also helps educators:

• Anticipate obstacles to learning and gain strategies to overcome them when dealing with adult learners
• Adjust teaching plans and techniques to both remote and live learning environments
• Develop exercises and test questions that demonstrate and evaluate critical thinking skills
• Initiate a comprehensive onboarding plan for new staff
• Develop and initiate a competency assessment plan for existing staff that includes regular chart audits and constructive feedback
• Design an effective provider education program

After the expert-led portion of the CDI Educator Boot Camp, students complete an additional module that includes bite-size training on core training skills and teaching competencies:

• Brief eLearning courses related to:
  • Presentation and public speaking skills
  • Dynamic training techniques
  • Leading new-employee orientations
• Articles from ACDIS’ CDI Journal featuring insights from seasoned CDI educators and auditors

Graduates of the CDI Educator Boot Camp demonstrate that they have cultivated both the CDI knowledge and the fundamental training skills necessary to be a successful educator. They earn the CDI Educator Certificate and are allowed to use the designation ACDIS-Approved CDI Educator in their resumes, biographical information, and email signatures.

Join the educators from ACDIS for expert-led lectures and discussions with your peers as you develop the essential skills needed to train and onboard staff, perform audits, and educate providers.

For more detailed information about our Boot Camps, contact us at 800-650-6787 or email sales@hcpro.com.

Looking to train your whole team? We can bring our expert instructors to you! Learn more here!

CDI Educator Boot Camp

Course Locations & Dates

Below is the current course schedule for upcoming classes of this CDI Educator Boot Camp. We update this schedule on a regular basis. 

Registrations are processed in the order received. Class size is limited, and classes often sell out. We recommend against making travel arrangements until after we have confirmed your course registration.

To register for a class, click the "Register" button. If you would like to register multiple attendees, fill in the "Additional Attendees" box.
For larger groups, contact Customer Service at (800) 650-6787 to inquire about group rates. 

Locations marked as "Tentative" are subject to change.

To view our cancellation policy, click here.

November 2025

CDI Educator Boot Camp

Course Outline

Module 1: The History of CDI: Where It Began, Where CDI Is Now, and CDI for the Future

• History of medical record documentation and early payment models
  • Meaningful documentation
  • Private payers (BCBS)
  • Initiation of Medicare and Medicaid programs
  • Initiation and implementation of ICD in the United States
  • Development of DRGs and the IPPS
  • Regulatory oversight
• The evolution of CDI
  • ACDIS
  • AHIMA/ACDIS joint effort for compliant query practices (Query Practice Brief)
  • Additional support for CDI departments: The CDI educator
  • Resources and support for CDI educators

Module 2: The Role of the CDI Educator

• Mentoring vs. coaching
  • Defining the scope of work for CDI educators
  • Common job requirements of CDI educators
  • Working with physician advisors
  • Education planning for providers
• Mission creep
  • Identifying mission creep
  • Scope of work for managers vs. CDI educators
  • Appropriately managing defined roles (case scenarios)

Module 3: The CDI Educator’s Role in Onboarding

• Differentiation between onboarding and training 
  • Aligning onboarding with the CDI department’s and organization’s mission
  • Creative ways to onboard new CDI specialists
    • On-site vs. remote onboarding
    • Single-organization vs. multiple-site onboarding
• Onboarding physician advisors and providers
  • Identifying past experience
  • Availability of the physician advisor (split role with UR)
  • Onboarding new providers effectively
• Onboarding process in other departments
  • CD's role in other departments (quality, UR, nursing, or coding)

Module 4: Learning Essentials

• Critical thinking
  • Developing critical thinking skills
• Bloom’s taxonomy of learning
  • The six levels of active learning
  • Creating measurable learning
  • Connecting critical thinking with measurable learning goals
• Learning styles and adapting education
• Education planning
  • Techniques to assess baseline knowledge (CDI and providers)
  • Identifying goals and what is needed to achieve them (gap analysis)
  • Root cause analysis
  • Closing the gap (solutions)
• Developing educational materials
  • Understanding copyright law
  • Developing tip sheets, newsletters, and homework assignments
  • Reaching your audience

Module 5: Training and Education for New CDI Specialists

• Orientation timeline
• Identifying and supporting preceptors
• Identifying education metrics vs. CDI metrics outlined by the CDI manager
• Developing a training calendar (week by week)
• Setting up shadowing with coding
• Developing CDI homework assignments
• Supporting weekly education with additional resource outlines/handouts

Module 6: Training and Education for Experienced CDI Specialists

• Orientation timeline
• Identifying and supporting preceptors
• Identifying education metrics vs. CDI metrics outlined by the CDI manager
• Developing a training calendar (week by week)
• Assessing potential knowledge gaps and developing new skills

Module 7: Training and Education for Physician Advisors and Providers

• Physician advisors
  • Promoting positive working relationships
  • Shaping the role to the organization's needs
  • Unified front (reduction of mixed messaging)
  • Working with physician advisors to identify areas of opportunity
  • Scope of work for physician advisors and CDI educators
  • Expectations of certification (CCDS)
  • Networking and learning resources
• Providers
  • Buy-in and support from leadership
  • Developing clear expectations and providing feedback
  • Developing education plans based on outlined metrics (individual CMI/query responses)
  • Education calendar (monthly lunch-and-learns)
  • Challenges with on-site vs. remote education (i.e., performing rounds)
  • Developing escalation processes
  • Education sessions or newsletters to praise performance
  • Developing education plans for specialties (surgery, cardiology, neurology, trauma)
  • Education metrics for specialty services

Module 8: Record Reviews, Identifying Query Opportunities, and Compliant Query Writing

• Pros and cons of remote vs. on-site environments
• Navigating the EHR (pre-record review)
• Defining the "why" behind the review
• Record reviews for new CDI specialists
• Record reviews for experienced CDI specialists
• Promoting critical thinking
• When a record review should begin
  • Elements to look for in the ED note and H&P
• Subsequent reviews and discharge summaries
• Reconciliation process

Module 9: Auditing and Feedback

• Communication techniques (verbal and written)
• Developing an education auditing tool
  • Queries (compliance/appropriateness)
  • Record reviews (missed opportunities)
• Feedback on education metrics for the CDI department
• Feedback on education metrics for providers

Module 10: Keeping Up With Industry Trends

• Education for CDI educators
  • How to stay "in the know"
    • Daily articles/industry trends
    • CMS newsletters
    • Journals (JAMA, CDI Journal)
    • Industry memberships (ACDIS, AHIMA, AAPC)
    • Changes in medicine/surgery

*Course outline/agenda subject to change.

CDI Educator Boot Camp

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this educational activity, participants will be able to:

• Establish and communicate expectations for CDI educators with leadership and staff
• Design an onboarding plan for new CDI specialists that assesses learning needs and tracks progress
• Identify opportunities to promote collaboration with other departments through education
• Identify and execute strategies to adapt to individual learning styles
• Develop orientation plans and timelines that account for an individual’s CDI experience
• Utilize Bloom’s taxonomy to create measurable learning objectives
• Develop educational materials that foster development of critical thinking in CDI practice
• Develop and maintain an effective provider education program
• Develop an auditing plan to identify learning opportunities

Continuing Education

ACDIS
This program has been approved for 22.5 continuing education units towards fulfilling the requirements of the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist certification, offered as a service of the Association of Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialists (ACDIS).

AHIMA
This program has been approved for 22.5 continuing education unit(s) (CEUs) for use in fulfilling the continuing education requirements of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Granting of Approved CEUs from AHIMA does not constitute endorsement of the program content or its program provider.

ANCC
HCPro is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

22.5 contact hours for nurses are available for this activity.

NAHRI
This program has been approved for 22.5 continuing education units towards fulfilling the requirements of the Certification in Healthcare Revenue Integrity (CHRI), offered as a service of the National Association of Healthcare Revenue Integrity (NAHRI).

Disclosure Statement:
HCPro has confirmed that none of the faculty/presenters, planners, or contributors have any relevant financial relationships to disclose related to the content of this educational activity.

CDI Educator Boot Camp

Things to Know Before Attending Class

Directions and Hotel Information

The hotel address, phone number, URL, room rate, and room rate cut-off date are posted on the Locations/Dates tab. The hotel website gives detailed directions to the hotel as well as information about the location. Please call the hotel directly to make a room reservation. Be sure to identify yourself as an HCPro Boot Camp participant. Please be sure to make your reservation before the cut-off date. After the cut-off date, you’ll need to contact the hotel to determine room availability and rates.

Course Materials

When you arrive at class, you will receive two books containing the class materials utilized throughout the Boot Camp. These books will be yours to keep, so allow enough room in your luggage to accommodate them on the return trip home. The books weigh approximately 8–10 pounds. Books may also be shipped from the hotel at your own expense.

Manuals Needed for Class

There are no manuals required for participation in this class.

Classroom Time

Other than short breaks and lunch, we will be in class from 8:00 a.m. to at least 5:00 p.m. each day. In order to focus attention on the course and to not distract participants or the instructor, cell phone use during class is strictly prohibited. We will take short breaks (up to 15 minutes each) throughout the day that will give participants an opportunity to make calls, use the restroom, etc., in addition to a lunch break. We typically provide coffee in the morning and drinks and a light snack in the afternoon.

Lunch

We will take about a 30-minute break for lunch each day. Everyone is on their own for lunch. Note that many hotels do not have restaurants on-site. If you are flying to the course, we generally recommend renting a car or investigating availability of a hotel shuttle or ride share.

What to Bring to Class

Please bring the following to all classes:

• Highlighter
• Notepaper
• Sticky notes/flags
• Pen/pencil
• Layered clothing (e.g., light sweater, light jacket, etc.)
• Dress

Business attire is not necessary. Please dress comfortably. Sometimes classrooms are on the cool side, even during the warmer months. You may be more comfortable if you bring a sweater or sweatshirt in case you get cold.

Contact Information

For more information about our Boot Camps, contact us at 800-650-6787 or email sales@hcpro.com.

We look forward to having you in class!

CDI Educator Boot Camp

Questions/Answers

What is the focus of the CDI Educator Boot Camp?
The CDI Educator Boot Camp is a three-day, classroom-based intensive training course that focuses on the role and responsibilities of the CDI educator. The course offers guidance on the skills necessary for a CDI educator to succeed in their role. It focuses on:

• Defining the role of a CDI educator
• Training and development needs of CDI specialists
• Building a successful onboarding program
• Training techniques to facilitate CDI learning
• Developing query writing skills
• Identifying significant learning topics
• Education of physicians and physician advisors
• Regulatory compliance
• Evaluating competency
• Ethical principles

Where is the course offered?

Open registration courses are offered at various locations around the country, typically at mid-priced business hotels such as Hyatt Place or Hilton Garden Inn. For a current schedule of upcoming open registration courses, click on "Course Locations/Dates."

In addition to our open registration courses, we also offer the CDI Boot Camp as an on-site course (with a substantial discount) for organizations that have a number of employees who need training. For more information on hosting an on-site course at your facility, call 800-650-6787 or email customerservice@hcpro.com.

What if I need to cancel or transfer my registration?
Please click here to view our cancellation policy.

What material does the course cover?
To view the course outline, click on "Course Outline" above.

Does the course require any previous experience or training?
This course is directed to those who are or wish to perform in the role of CDI educator. It is assumed all attendees will be well experienced and have worked in the role of a CDI specialist.

Who should attend?

• CDI Educators
• CDI directors, managers, supervisors
• Those wishing to advance to a CDI educator role

Is there a discount for ACDIS members?
Yes. ACDIS members save $150 off the registration fee. Call 800-650-6787 to receive your discount or click here for more information.

How is the course taught?
The course is taught using a combination of lecture, class discussion, and hands-on exercises/case studies.

What do I need to bring to class?

• Highlighter
• Sticky notes
• Pen/pencil

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."

How do I get more information?
Contact us at 800-650-6787 or sales@hcpro.com.