Modern Practice Podcast

Facing hostile patients, Part 1

The hospital is increasingly becoming a hostile environment, with clinicians facing verbal abuse and physical violence from patients and their families. Clinicians need skills to defuse conflict and hopefully settle down hostilities before they get out of hand. If calming hostilities is not possible, they need to know what to do in the face of violent confrontation. On this episode, Tomas discusses patient hostility with a leading expert on the topic.
 
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior Principal, Clinical Operations and QualityVizient
Guest:Cecilia Cruz, MD, MPH, CPCC, ACCFounder and Chief Executive OfficerMarpe, LLCBoard-certified emergency medicine physicianFormer co-chair of QualityDivision of Emergency MedicineNorthShore University HealthSystem
 
Show Notes:
[01:41] Patient hostility on the rise
[02:43] Verbal violence is most prevalent, and the most unreported
[03:19] Cleveland Clinic: violence four times more prevalent in health care
[04:08] Health care workers more exposed than prison guards and police officers
[04:39] Higher risk of assaults for nurses
[05:26] Biggest risk in high-acuity settings – ambulances, EDs, ICUs, psych units
[06:10] Reasons/origins
[08:52] Patient families as source of conflict
 
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Dr. Cruz’s email: ceciliacruz@marpejourney.com
Dr Cruz’s Linkedin page: Click here
MARPE, LLC website: Click here
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyRSS Feed
 

Advances in colorectal cancer screening, Pt 2

Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) has seen a lot of innovations, but there is still the conventional gold standard. On this episode of our award-winning podcast, Dr. Tomas Villanueva welcomes Dr. Aziz Aadam to discuss the need for early colorectal cancer (CRC) detection, and the options available to patients.
 
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior PrincipalClinical Operations and QualityVizient
Guest:Abdul Aziz Aadam, MDInterventional GastroenterologistDirector, Interventional EndoscopyMedical Director, International Patient ServicesNorthwestern Medicine
 
Show Notes:
[01:05] CRC screening options
[02:40] Colonoscopy advantages and disadvantages
[03:35] Virtual colonoscopies
[04:14] Artificial intelligence enhancement
[04:54] Improvements in the future
[07:10] No tests are foolproof
[07:50] Need to improve access
 
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Dr. Aadam’s email: abdul.aadam@northwestern.edu
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyRSS Feed
 

Advances in colorectal cancer screening, Pt 1

In this episode of the award-winning podcast Dr. Tomas Villanueva welcomes Dr. Aziz Aadam to discuss the need for early colorectal cancer (CRC) detection, which drastically increases the rate of survival, and how improvements in CRC screening are giving patients better options.
 
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior PrincipalClinical Operations and QualityVizient
 
Guest:Abdul Aziz Aadam, MD Interventional GastroenterologistDirector, Interventional EndoscopyMedical Director, International Patient ServicesNorthwestern Medicine
Show Notes:
[01:11] Endoscopic submucosal dissection
[02:10] Prevalence of colorectal cancer
[02:38] Risk factors
[05:10] Reason for the need of early detection
[06:35] Challenges for screening
[07:56] Rise in younger patients
[09:11] Screening of the elderly
[09:54] Increasing screening rates
[11:09] Additional screening options
 
Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Dr. Aadam’s email: abdul.aadam@northwestern.edu
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyRSS Feed

Why Risk Adjustment Is So Important

This episode of the award-winning podcast examines the importance of risk adjustment. Dr. Tomas Villanueva leads the discussion on the impact of this crucial aspect of documentation that can affect hospital outcomes.
 
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior PrincipalClinical Operations and QualityVizient
 
Guest:Erica Braun, MS, RN, CCDSSenior Consulting DirectorClinical Documentation ImprovementVizient
 
Show Notes:
[01:29] Defining risk adjustment – maintaining an apples to apples comparison
[02:41] Capturing comorbid conditions to the highest level of specificity
[04:08] Capturing the low-hanging fruit
[05:47] Case mix index issues
[07:44] Severity of illness and risk of mortality
[08:52] Addressing query fatigue
 
Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Erica Braun’s email: erica.braun@vizientinc.com
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyRSS Feed

Challenges in Documenting Spinal Surgery, Part 3

On this episode, Dr. Tomas Villanueva and a leading clinical documentation expert finish their discussion on the need to correctly document everything involving spial surgery. Spinal surgery represents a complex challenge for documentation specialists and clinicians alike, and this episode will clear up what is needed to be successful in coding and documenting these procedures.
 
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior PrincipalClinical Operations and QualityVizient
Guest:Rachel Mack, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CRCConsulting DirectorClinical Documentation ImprovementVizient
 
Show Notes:
[00:31] Query opportunities and low-hanging fruit
[01:53] Blood loss and the whole clinical picture in querying
[02:50] Using that “magic word” can make a difference – coding to an MCC
[03:43] Other query opportunities
[10:36] When the documentation is wrong
[12:44] Reconciliation and feedback needed
 
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Rachel Mack’s email: rachel.mack@vizientinc.com
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherRSS Feed
 

Challenges in Documenting Spinal Surgery, Part2

On this episode, Dr. Tomas Villanueva continues his discussion with a leading clinical documentation expert on the need to correctly document everything involving spinal surgery. Spinal surgery represents a complex challenge for documentation specialists and clinicians alike.
 
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior PrincipalClinical Operations and QualityVizient
Guest:Rachel Mack, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CRCConsulting DirectorClinical Documentation ImprovementVizient
 
Show Notes:
[00:41] Rise in spinal surgeries
[01:23] Coding challenges and parameters
[01:53] Predicaments for coding and CDI specialists
[07:22] Common DRGs for spinal surgeries – the need to use the “magic words”
 
Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Rachel Mack’s email: rachel.mack@vizientinc.com
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherRSS Feed

Challenges in Documenting Spinal Surgery, Part 1

Spinal surgery represents a complex challenge for clinical documentation. Difficult to code and representing query situations that can be demanding, this is the area of focus for this episode of Modern Practice. Joining Dr. Tomas Villanueva is a leading expert returning to the podcast to talk about the challenges of spinal surgery documentation.
 
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior PrincipalClinical Operations and QualityVizient
 
Guest:Rachel Mack, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, CRCConsulting DirectorClinical Documentation ImprovementVizient
 
Show Notes:
[01:26] Around 1.62 million procedures per year
[02:22] Procedures on the increase (2.4 times the level of 15 years ago)
[03:54] The most common spinal diagnoses
[05:15] Often not caught by primary care
[06:20 Less common reasons for spinal surgery
[07:09] Reasons for planned surgeries—often a last resort
[08:45] Risks for avoiding surgery
 
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Rachel Mack’s email: rachel.mack@vizientinc.com
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherRSS Feed

Capturing Mental Health Diagnoses in CDI, Part 2

In this episode, we continue our discussion about the value of diagnosing mental health and why it's important to make that diagnosis. Dr. Tomas Villanueva Welcomes back a leading expert who is well-versed in the documentation of mental health.
 
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Senior Principal, Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
 
Guest:
Connie Ryan, MBA, RN, CDIP
Consulting Director, Clinical Documentation Integrity
Vizient
 
Show Notes:
[01:14] Overcoming reluctance to diagnose mental health
[03:58] Mental well-being impacts physical well-being
[04:36] Chronic conditions, depression and mortality
[05:31] First steps in making mental health diagnosis a part of practice
[07:04 Don’t make assumptions about patient mental health
[08:31] Focus on education and keep lines of communication open with providers
 
Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Connie Ryan’s email: connie.ryan@vizientinc.com
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherRSS Feed
 

Capturing Mental Health Diagnoses in CDI, Part 1

In this episode, we discuss a topic that clinicians would rather avoid at times, diagnosing mental health. It can take clinicians out of their comfort zone and has little financial incentive. However, it's important to make that diagnosis when needed, and this podcast will examine why.
 
Moderator:
Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHM
Senior Principal, Clinical Operations and Quality
Vizient
 
Guest:
Connie Ryan, MBA, RN, CDIP
Consulting Director, Clinical Documentation Integrity
Vizient
 
Show Notes:
[01:14] No incentive
[02:39] Reasons beyond reimbursement to make a mental health diagnosis
[04:36] The value-based care angle
[05:02] Developing a plan: gathering data, prioritizing conditions, measuring
[06:13] Helping providers get comfortable; keep communication lines open
[07:31] Major depressive disorder: a starting point
[08:31] Monitor, evaluate, assess and treat
 
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Connie Ryan’s email: connie.ryan@vizientinc.com
 
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherRSS Feed

Emerging Treatments for Atrial Fibrillation, Part 3

In this episode, we finish our three-part series updating therapeutic approaches in the field of electrophysiology. Joining us again is a leader in the field, who explains ablation therapies for atrial fibrillation, including the latest therapy to emerge: pulsed field ablation.
Moderator:Tomas Villanueva, DO, MBA, FACPE, SFHMSenior PrincipalClinical Operations and QualityVizient
Guest:Thomas Munger, MDChair, Heart Rhythm DivisionAssociate Professor of MedicineMayo Clinic
Show Notes:
[00:47] Recap of AF ablation
[02:08] Electroporation
[04:47] Research and specifications for pulsed field ablation
[06:33] Anticoagulation and pulsed field ablation
[07:41] Preparing for pulsed field ablation: staff readiness, pain, costs
Links | Resources:
To contact Modern Practice: modernpracticepodcast@vizientinc.com
Dr. Munger’s email: munger.thomas@mayo.edu
More information (Vizient): Additional pulsed field ablation resources
Information on improving an electrophysiology program (Vizient): Optimizing your EP program  
Subscribe Today!
Apple PodcastsAmazon PodcastsAndroidGoogle PodcastsSpotifyStitcherRSS Feed