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What is a clinical documentation improvement specialist and how to become one
The clinical documentation improvement specialist is accountable for organizing and executing day-to-day operations, providing concurrent and retrospective analysis, and improving documentation of all conditions, treatments, and care plans to ensure the highest quality of care gets presented to the patient. Their role is to collect patient information, assess medical documents for accuracy, and verify that clinical reports comply with laws.
Typically, you need to possess a have associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing, health information management, health information technology, and two to five years of experience in the field.
The applicants who address this field end up laying claim to annual earnings at $71,498 at the primary level. The current median pay for a clinical documentation improvement specialist ranges from $68,367 to $76,500 in the U.S. However, this number can vary significantly depending upon your knowledge, skills, or organization.
Avg. Salary $64,797
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 11%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.27%
Asian 8.87%
Black or African American 9.52%
Hispanic or Latino 15.69%
Unknown 4.21%
White 60.44%
Genderfemale 84.79%
male 15.21%
Age - 46American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 46Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Clinical documentation improvement specialist career paths
Key steps to become a clinical documentation improvement specialist
Explore clinical documentation improvement specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific clinical documentation improvement specialist skills
Skills Percentages Patients 18.08% Patient Care 13.50% Clinical Documentation Improvement 12.45% CCDS 7.98% ICD-10 6.63% Complete relevant clinical documentation improvement specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinical documentation improvement specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a clinical documentation improvement specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinical documentation improvement specialist resumes.Gain additional clinical documentation improvement specialist certifications
More About CertificationsClinical documentation improvement specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific clinical documentation improvement specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for clinical documentation improvement specialists include Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) and Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
Research clinical documentation improvement specialist duties and responsibilities
- Create documentation education classes to general surgery residents, increasing the leveling of reporting which lead to increase revenues.
- Interact directly with physicians to query for more specific documentation and to provide documentation guidelines from ICD-9 and ICD-10 standards.
- Prepare, maintain and update clinical documentation ensuring completeness and accuracy of services provide to the patients.
- Assign the correct POA status.
Prepare your clinical documentation improvement specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinical documentation improvement specialist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a clinical documentation improvement specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable clinical documentation improvement specialist resume templates
Build a professional clinical documentation improvement specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your clinical documentation improvement specialist resume.
Apply for clinical documentation improvement specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a clinical documentation improvement specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first clinical documentation improvement specialist job
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Average clinical documentation improvement specialist salary
The average clinical documentation improvement specialist salary in the United States is $64,797 per year or $31 per hour. Clinical documentation improvement specialist salaries range between $47,000 and $87,000 per year.
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Updated January 8, 2025
