Manager-Clinical Documentation

The salary range for this position is $50.90 - $68.71 (Hourly Rate)

Placement within the salary range is dependent on several factors such as relevant work experience and internal equity. For positions represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range is guided by the rules outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section located at jobs.nm.org/benefits to learn more.

Northwestern Medicine is powered by a community of colleagues who are purpose-driven and committed to our mission to deliver world-class care. Here, you'll work alongside some of the best clinical talent in the nation leading the way in medical innovation and breakthrough research with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

We recognize where you've been, and we support where you're headed. We celebrate diverse perspectives and experiences, which fuel our commitment to equity and culture of service.

Grow your career with comprehensive training and development opportunities, mentorship programs, educational support and student loan repayment.

Create the life you envision for yourself with flexible work options, a Reimbursable Well-Being Fund and a Total Rewards package that support your physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being.

Make a difference through volunteer opportunities we offer in local communities and drive inclusive change through our workforce-led resource groups.

From discovery to delivery, come help us shape the future of medicine.

Description

The Manager of Clinical Documentation reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Medicine (NM), adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

Responsible for leading clinical documentation integrity efforts in support of NM and business unit strategic goals. Responsible for managing relationships with key stakeholders at multiple business units to advance financial and quality outcomes for NM and each business unit. Functional areas of responsibility include clinical documentation at more than one business unit to assure effective workflow process design for clinical documentation interventions that promote accurate and timely documentation.  Key to this role is the ability to compel changes in documentation to facilitate accurate representations of patient characteristics within the medical record so that process and outcome measures based on documentation reflect performance accurately.  Requires frequent travel to support the business needs of Northwestern Medicine.    

Reports to Director, Clinical Documentation.

Responsible, in collaboration with the Director of Clinical Documentation and other leadership, to develop, implement, monitor and achieve the annual business unit and system level Clinical Documentation Plans.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, plan, and coordinate the Clinical Documentation Integrity programs at the business unit and system level, in collaboration with the Director of Clinical Documentation and the Medical Director(s) of Clinical Documentation at each business unit.
  • Key Stakeholders include Business Unit and System Directors, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Nurse Executives, Regional and System Vice Presidents, and Chief Medical Officers.
  • Scope includes all functions which support documentation within the patient’s medical record. 
  • Scope includes all practitioners, clinicians and others participating in delivering or supporting patient care, including those privileged through the medical staff, trainees, students, employees, volunteers.
• Manage staff at multiple hospital locations and maintain high levels of staff engagement and performance to meet department objectives.
• Design and lead integrated relationships with business unit and system physician and administrative leaders to advance quality metrics through front-line documentation efforts; pairing clinical documentation team members with physician and advanced practice providers through rounding initiatives and/or an in-person cadence.
• Partner with Key Stakeholders (as above), Clinical Quality, Coding, Corporate Integrity and Compliance, Value Based Care, Health Information Management (HIM), and other leaders to understand the national quality agenda, the annual system and regional key initiatives, the Inpatient Quality Composite goals, annual employee goals, and other business unit and system improvement initiatives to incorporate such goals and monitoring plans into the annual Clinical Documentation Quality Improvement plan as appropriate. 
• Understand clinical documentation through the lens of local and national quality and ranking methodologies, including but not limited to, U.S News and World Report, Vizient, Leapfrog, the CMS Star Rating, and payer contracts and implement key strategies to teach and deploy the team in the manner necessary to effect change. 
• Implement initiatives to support advancing the work of NM business units and system function goals, as outlined above. 
  • As assigned, assume leadership in advancing these programs and projects at the business unit or system level
• Advance the standard of quality across NM through innovation, learning and shared deployment of best practices.
• Facilitate resolution of issues among key partners and lead complex conversations, as needed, between clinical documentation, coding, care coordination, physicians and/or other leaders to bring closure to issue at hand.
• Design, lead and adhere to the annual Clinical Documentation Plan.
• Lead, develop, and identify key strategies for the review and reporting of DRG denials, Patient Safety Indicators (PSI) and Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) as assigned.
• Support the monthly report-out of PSI and HAC events at each business unit as requested.
• Support the mortality review process at each business unit and ensure timeliness in review, tracking, and reporting.  
• Design, lead, implement, teach and monitor NM clinical documentation integrity practices, risk adjustment practices, policies, protocols and methodologies.
• Design and lead department system Clinical Documentation committees as assigned.
• Collaborate with Managers of Clinical Documentation, the Director of Clinical Documentation, and Medical Director leadership to align clinical documentation integrity work efforts to the extent possible throughout NM.
• Prepare monthly data reports for Key Stakeholders as requested.
• Present to and / or create presentations for Key Stakeholders as requested.    
• Support and prepare materials for the monthly Clinical Documentation Improvement Committee Meeting. 
• Design, lead, implement, teach and monitor use of technology and data driven approaches to achieving the most accurate clinical documentation.
• Identify, develop, and implement key strategies to leverage the electronic health record (EHR) and other tools to facilitate accurate representations of patient acuity, severity of illness, risk of mortality, and risk adjustment within the medical record. 
• Monitor internal and external trends, concurrently and retrospectively, to identify priorities and implement strategies for improvement. 
• Collaborate with and lead engagements with external vendors that support clinical documentation education, data analysis, and technology.
• Design, implement and monitor internal and external performance data and metrics of individual direct reports. 
• Implement surveillance and reporting oversight to identify areas of concern and strength.
• Analyze and monitor NM Clinical Documentation Integrity Account WQs to maintain revenue cycle standards/goals.
• Analyze and monitor budgets monthly to ensure fiscal responsibility.
• Assure and support appropriate public transparency and reporting of quality data.
• Assure and support training for the Clinical Documentation Team(s) across NM.
• Recruit and develop staff, teach/orient/train, manage financial and human resources efficiently and effectively.
• Collaborate effectively across the system with direct reports, colleagues, key stakeholders, and key partners. 

Qualifications

Required:

• Registered Nurse in the State of Illinois
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in nursing
• Minimum 5 years of experience of bedside nursing care and participation in clinical quality, patient safety, or related initiatives with evidence of effective change management skills. 
• Project management, facilitation, and analytical skills
• Statistics, quantitative and analytic skills relevant to the role
• High level of energy and enthusiasm; flexible/adaptable – ability to work with diverse group of healthcare professionals in a matrix environment
• Effective problem solving and multi-tasking, verbal and written communication skills

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in relevant field
• Microsoft office suite skills relevant to the role

Equal Opportunity

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.  Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. 

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.

Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.