In CDI metrics, which option best reflects program engagement rather than patient outcomes?

• A. Denial rate
• B. Length of stay
• C. Physician education metric
• D. DRG weight

Answer: (C)

Focusing on how active the CDI program is in engaging clinicians and spreading knowledge highlights program engagement. A physician education metric directly measures the outreach, training, and collaboration the CDI team provides to providers, showing how involved and responsive the clinicians are to CDI efforts. This kind of metric gauges the heartbeat of the program—whether clinicians are being educated, timely in queries, and aligned with documentation goals—which is what engagement is all about.

Denial rate looks at payer outcomes and the impact of documentation on reimbursement, not the level of CDI activity. Length of stay is a patient outcome reflecting clinical care and hospital efficiency, not the CDI program’s activity. DRG weight relates to case complexity and reimbursement, not to how actively the CDI program is engaging providers.