Recap of Latest YES Quarterly Webinars: Free Continuing Education For Healthcare Professionals
Recap of Latest YES Quarterly Webinars: Free Continuing Education For Healthcare Professionals
At YES HIM Consulting, we are dedicated to providing free continuing education for healthcare professionals and sharing our expertise with the HIM community. Our Quarterly Webinar Series provides a platform for medical coders, auditors, clinical documentation improvement (CDI) specialists, and revenue cycle professionals to stay informed on the latest trends, guidelines, and best practices in healthcare.
Our latest webinars covered critical topics and challenges in the industry, including DRG downgrades, 2025 coding updates, and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) ICD-10 codes.
Let’s take a look at the key takeaways from our recent webinars and what’s on the horizon for our upcoming live session.
Navigating DRG Challenges: Strategies for Success in Documentation and Appeals Webinar
The “Navigating DRG Challenges: Strategies for Success in Documentation and Appeals” webinar, led by Vanessa Youmans, COO of YES HIM Consulting, focused on one of the most complex areas in inpatient coding: DRG downgrades. DRG downgrades can result in significant financial losses for healthcare organizations and create additional administrative burdens. In this live session, Vanessa provided expert insights into the causes of DRG downgrades, how to prevent them, and effective strategies for appealing downgrades when they occur.
Key insights included:
- Recognizing DRG Downgrade Triggers: One of the key takeaways from this session was identifying the most common documentation patterns that trigger DRG downgrades. Vanessa shared practical guidance on how to recognize these patterns early, allowing coders and CDI specialists to proactively address potential issues before they lead to denials.
- Building Strong Clinical Support for DRG Assignments: Accurate DRG assignments rely heavily on strong clinical documentation. The webinar emphasized the application of coding guidelines, clinical indicators, and supporting documentation to reinforce DRG accuracy and withstand clinical validation reviews. Vanessa walked through examples of proper documentation practices that strengthen the case for a given DRG.
- Developing Successful DRG Appeals: The webinar also explored the art of crafting effective DRG appeals. Vanessa discussed how to structure compelling appeals, cite authoritative references, and present clinical evidence that supports the assigned DRG. By understanding the nuances of DRG appeals, healthcare providers can increase their chances of overturning denials and ensuring accurate reimbursement.
This webinar is a must-watch for those involved in inpatient coding and revenue cycle management. If you missed the live event, you can view the webinar recording.
2025 NCCI Edits and Manual Updates Webinar
The “2025 NCCI Edits and Manual Updates” webinar, also led by Vanessa, provided attendees with a comprehensive breakdown of the latest National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits and updates to the CPT Manual. As coding professionals are aware, staying up-to-date with these changes is crucial to ensure compliance and prevent denials.
Key insights included:
- Accurate Procedure Code Management: The webinar reviewed the most recent NCCI edits, enabling coders to accurately identify code combinations that could trigger denials or require modifiers.
- Compliant Code Selection: With updates to the CPT Manual, it’s important for coders to understand how these changes affect their daily practices. The session covered how to align documentation with the updated requirements to avoid discrepancies and ensure compliant coding.
- Resolving Discrepancies: Vanessa discussed the importance of identifying discrepancies or omissions between the NCCI edits and CPT Manual updates and provided actionable steps for resolving these issues efficiently.
If you missed the live event, you can view the webinar recording.
Unlocking the Power of SDOH ICD-10 Codes Webinar
The “Unlocking the Power of SDOH ICD-10 Codes” webinar, hosted by Karen Youmans, President and CEO of YES HIM Consulting, explored the pivotal role that Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) ICD-10 codes play in patient care and reimbursement. These codes are crucial for capturing the non-medical factors influencing a patient’s health, such as socioeconomic status, education, and access to healthcare.
Key insights included:
- Comprehensive Understanding of SDOH: The session provided a deep dive into the non-medical factors defined by the CDC and WHO and their impact on health outcomes. Attendees gained a better understanding of how these factors can influence patient care and how to code them accurately.
- Impact on Quality Measures: Karen discussed how the proper use of SDOH ICD-10 codes directly affects quality measures, including the Inpatient Quality Reporting Program and Health Equity quality measures.
- Reimbursement Benefits: Proper documentation and reporting of SDOH codes can significantly influence reimbursements. The webinar explained how capturing SDOH information can lead to more accurate billing and higher quality scores, directly impacting financial performance.
This webinar highlighted the increasing significance of SDOH codes in contemporary healthcare, particularly as the industry prioritizes health equity and patient-centered care. If you missed the live event, you can view the webinar recording.
Upcoming Live Webinar: Developing a Compliant Coding Query
As part of our ongoing commitment to continuous learning, we are excited to announce our next live webinar, “Developing a Compliant Coding Query,” scheduled for July 23, 2025, at 1 PM ET. Led by Amy Davis, Director, Inpatient Coding and DRG Validation Services, and Angela Zimmerman, Supervisor, Inpatient Coding and DRG Validation Services, this free webinar will provide essential insights into the creation and use of compliant coding queries.
In this session, you will learn:
- Best Practices for Developing Coding Queries: Learn how to construct queries that are clear, concise, and fully compliant with industry standards—while avoiding leading language and incorporating relevant clinical indicators.
- When and How to Query for Missing or Unclear Documentation: Explore the appropriate scenarios that call for a query, such as resolving conflicting information, clarifying a diagnosis, or confirming Present on Admission (POA) status.
- Types of Queries and When to Use Them: Gain clarity on the different formats—open-ended, multiple choice, and yes/no—and understand how to apply each type appropriately to ensure accurate code assignment and clinical relevance.
- Building Consistency with Query Templates and Checklists: Discover how to apply structured tools like compliant query checklists and formatting best practices to maintain quality and accuracy across all provider queries.
Whether you’re new to coding queries or looking to refine your process, this session will provide actionable strategies for improving documentation and ensuring compliance. Don’t miss out – register today.
Stay Ahead with YES HIM Consulting’s Free Continuing Education for Healthcare Professionals
The YES Quarterly Webinar Series continues to be an invaluable resource for healthcare professionals nationwide. Our expert-led webinars provide practical insights and strategies that empower coders, auditors, and revenue cycle professionals to excel in their roles.
We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming webinar, “Developing a Compliant Coding Query,” on July 23, 2025, at 1 PM ET. Be sure to register and stay ahead of industry changes while continuing your professional development with YES HIM Consulting.
