Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist Course
AKA Clinical Informatics Specialist
Start training to specialize as a Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist (CDIS), online with CanScribe College
12 Week Hands-On CDIS Course
If you are looking for a new career in the medical industry that allows you to help patients without the physcial demands that many postions carry, this Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist course may be for you!
We provide all the knowledge and support you need to get trained and get working as quickly as possible. Our strong industry connections play a major role in that. Our entire program is both reviewed and created with input from employers you will work for!
CanScribe College is the Best Choice for a Clinical Informatics Training
✓ CanScribe has the most detailed program available and you can graduate online in less than a 1 month.
✓ We are the only Canadian college to have their program approved by the Canadian Health Information Management Association, so our students are sure to receive a top-quality educational experience.
What is Clinical Documentation Improvement?
A Certified Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Specialist performs detailed chart analysis to identify areas within clinical documentation that need further review or improvement. CDI Specialists act as liaisons and collaborate with coding teams and physicians to ensure that clinical documentation translates into coded data accurately.
CDI Specialists will also educate by building training resources and tools to support the coding and clinical teams. CDI Specialists help medical staff better care for their patients by handling and optimizing patient records. CDI Specialists prepare written reports, discover positive and negative patterns in documentation processes using metrics, and make suggestions for improvement.
INCLUDED IN THE CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST COURSE
- Access to all CanScribe staff via email, live chat and toll-free phone numbers.
- Training on current and relevant industry approved curriculum, where employers had input in the program development.
- Courses hosted on state-of-the-art Learning Management Systems.
- Access to staff, students, and graduates via online event rooms and forums.
- Scheduled online events with CanScribe staff and guest speakers.
- Regular follow-ups from Student Services.
- Instructor graded exams.
- Lifetime graduate support.
- Flexible payment plans.
- CHIMA approved curriculum that qualifies you to work as a Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist.
- Instructors available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
This program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Regulartory Unit (PTIRU) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
If you take the Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist course on campus, everything is provided.
If you take the Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist course via distance learning, it is recommended to complete the program on a Windows PC. Apple computers are compatible, however, Microsoft Office Training from the point of view of a Windows computer. You are required to have the Microsoft Office suite installed on your computer
You must have a computer with speakers and Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word and Excel) on your computer. An internet speed of 15 mbps download, and 10 mbps upload is recommended.
We also recommend that you use the latest version of either Firefox or Chrome as your browser.
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
Students must have a minimum typing speed of 30 net-words-per-minute. Students must also be a mature student, 19+, or have a high school diploma. Students must also meet one of the below criteria. To start your prerequisite application for this program please click the button below.
- A minimum of 3-years of experience working as a nurse, physician, or other regulated health professional in a hospital or clinical environment.
- A minimum of 3-years of experience working as a Health Information Management professional with a background in coding.
- A minimum of 3-years of experience working as a coder with knowledge in anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology.
- A combination of 3-years experience in any of the above listed positions.
ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS
Prior to admission, applicants must meet at least one of the following English language proficiency requirements:
1. Education
A) Secondary Education
Evidence of three (3) years of full-time secondary education (Grades 8-12), or two (2) years if the grades are 10, 11, or 12, have been successfully completed where English is the principal language of instruction.
OR
B) Post-Secondary Education
Evidence of two (2) years of full-time post-secondary education have been successfully completed where English is the principal language of instruction.
OR
2. Assessment
By achieving a recognized standardized language test/assessment.
- Duolingo English Test (DET): minimum overall score of 95
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic: minimum overall score of 5.5
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) IBT: minimum overall score of 46
- Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL): minimum overall score of 40
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP): Listening 6, Speaking 6, Reading 5, and Writing 5
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic: minimum overall score of 43
- Cambridge English Qualifications: B2 First exam (FCE): minimum overall score of 160 or ‘C’
- Cambridge Linguaskill: minimum overall B2 level
- LANGUAGECERT Academic: minimum overall B2 level
- The Michigan English Test (MET): minimum overall B2 level
The program is 100 hours long, however, you have 12 weeks to complete it. That is less than an hour per day if you want to take the full time to complete the program. If you put in 2 hours of work per day, you can graduate in less than 2 months!
Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists have an average pay of between $71,753 and $78,611 per year ($34.50 to $37.79 per hour).
There is currently a huge demand for CanScribe graduates. With massive investments being made in healthcare and an ever-growing need for better systems and processes; the industry cannot get enough Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists!
Yes! Many CDIS’s work from home, so it is a real option for you. You also have the option to work in a hospital or clinic as well. Whether you want to work face-to-face with people, or virtually, there are options available to you.
Students are able to purchase extensions gives them more time in their program. Extensions can be purchased at a rate of $150 for one month. Students can only purchase up to 2 months of additional time.
Great question! Our programs include ‘a little bit of everything.’ We design our content to work with every learning style. You will read, watch, interact with, and complete quizzes. You are not going to just sit around and read. You will watch videos, complete various activities that are designed to highlight the CDIS career. This course is designed by real Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists to teach you what you need to know. No fluff.
The eBook Upgrade is a digital version of the program curriculum which can be downloaded onto a tablet or laptop. This allows the student to continue their studies when you happen to be away from the computer.
The eBook Upgrade is an optional upgrade to the program and is not required for successful completion. If you are interested in purchasing the eBook Upgrade, please contact CanScribe via email at info@canscribe.com or call us toll-free at 1-800-466-1535.
The CanScribe Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist program is competency-based. This means you move on to the next level when you are competent in the material being taught.
Many of our students have previous experience in several of the concepts taught in the program. Although you cannot skip any courses in the program, you are able to challenge any unit tests and exercises. Students are able to attempt exercises in the program multiple times.
(a) the institution receives a notice of withdrawal from the student no later than seven days after the effective contract date and before the contract start date;
(b) the student, or the student’s parent or legal guardian, signs the student enrolment contract seven days or less before the contract start date and the institution receives a notice of withdrawal from the student between the date the student, or the student’s parent or legal guardian, signed the student enrolment contract and the contract start date; or
(c) the student does not attend a work experience component and the institution does not provide all of the hours of instruction of the work experience component within 30 days of the contract end date.
2. The institution will refund the tuition for the program and all related fees paid by the student or a person on behalf of the student enrolled in the program if the student is enrolled in the program without having met the admission requirements and did not misrepresent his or her knowledge or skills when applying for admission.
3. If a student does not attend any of the first 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term, the institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition paid under the student enrolment contract unless the program is provided solely through distance education.
4. Unless the program is provided solely through distance education, if the institution receives a notice of withdrawal from a student:
(a) more than seven days after the effective contract date and
i. at least 30 days before the contract start date, the institution may retain up to 10% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract, to a maximum of $1,000.
ii. less than 30 days before the contract start date, the institution may retain up to 20% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract, to a maximum of $1,300.
(b) after the contract start date
i. and up to and including 10% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 30% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.
ii. and after more than 10% but before 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.
5. Unless the program is provided solely through distance education, if the institution provides a notice of dismissal to a student and the date the institution delivers the notice to the student is:
(a) equal to or before 10% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 30% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.
(b) after 10% but before 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term have been provided, the institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.
6. If the institution provides the program solely through distance education and the institution receives a student’s notice of withdrawal or the institution delivers a notice of dismissal to the student and:
(a) the student has completed and received an evaluation of his or her performance for up to 30% of the hours of instruction to be provided during the contract term, the institution may retain up to 30% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract, or
(b) the student has completed and received an evaluation of his or her performance for more than 30% but less than 50% of the program, the institution may retain up to 50% of the tuition due under the student enrolment contract.
7. The institution will refund fees charged for course materials paid for but not received if the student provides a notice of withdrawal to the institution or the institution provides a notice of dismissal to the student.
8. Refunds required under this policy will be paid to the student, or a person who paid the tuition or fees on behalf of the student, within 30 days:
(a) of the date the institution receives a student’s notice of withdrawal,
(b) of the date the institution provides a notice of dismissal to the student,
(c) of the date that the registrar provides notice to the institution that the institution is not complying with section 1(c) or 2 of this policy, or
(d) after the first 30% of the hours of instruction if section 3 of this policy applies.
9. If an international student delivers a copy of a refusal of a study permit to the institution, sections 1(a), 1(b), 4, 7, and 8 of this policy apply as if the copy of the refusal were a notice of withdrawal, unless:
(a) the international student requests an additional letter of acceptance for the same program that was the subject of the refusal of a study permit, or
(b) the program is provided solely through distance education.
Speaking as a Regional Director, Coding & Informatics for Providence Health Care, CanScribe provides an exceptional Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist Program that allows us the opportunity to hire graduates to fill these integral positions. Across British Columbia, there are 7 Health Organizations that would look to hire for this position.
The role of the Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) Specialist will continue to grow as more healthcare organizations continue to roll out electronic health records. This specialist role is crucial in ensuring the clinical documentation information within the health record accurately reflects the patient's journey. This clinical information is used in many ways – for clinical coding and reimbursement, continuity of patient care and communication between clinical practices, patient quality and safety initiatives and clinical research. Many Health Information Management areas, such as Clinical Coding, will rely on these specialists to implement and grow CDI programs to ensure quality documentation, education of clinicians, and implementation of physician query practices. We recommend CanScribe as a preferred CDI Specialist training provider.
Becoming a Skilled Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
Quality training will be the key to your success as a Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist and CanScribe graduates are highly sought after by employers throughout the industry. This program is one of the few that is approved by the CHIMA, and the only by a Canadian College.
Students have 16 weeks to complete the CDIS course and you can study in the privacy of your own home or learn on campus in Kelowna.
Is a CDIS Career Right for You?
Take the CanScribe College Career Training Readiness Quiz!