What interested you in becoming a CDI specialist?
My goal was to start a second career where I could use my nursing skills in the health information management field, more specifically coding.
What physical and/or soft skills do you need to have to succeed?
It is important to be an analytical thinker. I also feel my clinical nursing experience has attributed to my success in the field.
What advice would you give to interested high school students?
Conduct thorough research on the different job titles and descriptions as well as salaries associated with the various health information management job titles before investing your time and education.
What interested you in working at Cleveland Clinic?
Relocation was the strongest factor in my decision to apply for a job at Cleveland Clinic. After applying to various medical institutions throughout Northeast Ohio I was ultimately offered a job at Cleveland Clinic as a cardiothoracic intensive care nurse.
What excites you about health information management?
I enjoy utilizing the critical thinking skills I gained during my nursing career. I feel like a detective in my role as a clinical documentation improvement specialist. I am able to use my analytical skills to decipher medical language as it links to diagnosis codes.
What has been your most gratifying experience in your new role?
I had the opportunity to briefly provide education and offer feedback in my role as a supervisor to some of the clinical documentation team. Watching people grow and gain success from their own personal efforts has been my most gratifying experience.
What career options do you have in this field?
Coding, recovery auditor contractors, document integrity specialist (DIS), electronic health record (EHR), release of information, informatics, privacy and security, clinical documentation improvement specialist (CDI), registry, project management, and various management opportunities. There are also a variety of opportunities within compliance, legal and risk, and quality assurance.
Learn More
- Meet a health information management project manager: Sandy.
- Meet a document integrity specialist (DIS): Bruna.
- Meet an electronic health records (EHR) Analyst: Marquita.
- Health information management programs affiliated with Cleveland Clinic.
- Visit the health information manager profile and health information management technician profile for more information on these career paths.
