Here we are, our last episode of Off the Record this year.

I hope you’ve had a great 2025.

Just my voice today.

I’m ending with a solocast, a reading/summary of a paper about the biggest news story of the year: The explosive growth and proliferation of artificial intelligence, or AI.

You might recall my poll from a couple weeks ago; you all confirmed it.

Where do people fit with this tech? None of us really know, but I offer my opinion here.

Outpatient CDI is still in its pioneer-”ish” stage. Why do I say that? Per the most recent ACDIS survey data, only 31% of respondents indicated their organization had a dedicated OP CDI program.

Progress, but not enough, and still a minority.

So when you find an “OG” who has been working in risk adjustment for well over a decade, you need to pay attention. Odds are they’ve got some lessons to share and wisdom to confer. That certainly describes Amy Campbell, Director of Outpatient CDI for LifePoint Health.

Listen in as we discuss:

• “Building the airplane as we were flying...” Her start and early days in OP CDI.

• A “day in the life of” her role as OP CDI Director today for a large and growing healthcare organization

• Dashboard for success and most impactful/important KPIs

• Manual chart reviews (yes, they do this—no assistive tech). What does a pre-visit review look like/how is it conducted, and what common clarifications and dx opportunities are her team finding?

• Rapid fire round: Biggest OP CDI pet peeve (a doozy), RN vs. HIM staffing decisions, and the hardest part of managing people

• Interesting career stops, from critical care nurse and neurological intensive care nurse, to consulting, to content reviewer for Lippincott.

• Being a mother of an adult child with autism

No matter how great your CDI program is—its spectacular workflow, outstanding chart review team, on-point KPIs, shiny new AI tools—nothing works if you don’t have engaged physicians.

It still all comes down to provider engagement. Without a physician staff who is bought in and willing to participate and document with specificity in the health record, all these efforts are for naught.

But with great engagement, great things are possible.

So where are we today with the big daddy of all CDI topics? Joining me on this episode of #OTR are two physicians with considerable experience and plenty of war stories. Trey LaCharite, Medical Director for CDI and Coding and Clinical Associate Professor for University of Tennessee Medical Center, and Vaughn Matacale, director of the physician advisor group for ECU Health in North Carolina, open up for a frank, no-holds barred discussion on the following topics:

• What is overrated when it comes to provider engagement--and what is underrated?

• The best high-tech solution each recommends, and a great low-tech solution that stands the test of time.

• An ultimate success story winning over a difficult provider or service line.

• Notable failures others can learn from.

• RUSH reunion tour in 2026—yay or nay? Spoiler alert: Of course the answer is yes...

• And other fun stuff you really shouldn't miss...