What is a CDI query rate and why is it a key metric?

• A. The proportion of charts with at least one CDI query; it indicates documentation gaps and physician engagement.
• B. The number of queries sent per day.
• C. The percentage of charts without any DRG changes.
• D. The average time to answer a query.

Answer: (A)

A CDI query rate measures how often a chart prompts a CDI query by looking at the proportion of charts that have at least one query. This is the key idea because it directly reflects how often documentation gaps are identified and need clarification, which in turn shows how actively the CDI program is surfacing opportunities to improve the accuracy of coding and severity of illness.

This metric also signals physician engagement and the reach of the query process across cases. If many charts require clarification, it suggests opportunities to improve chart documentation or education. It’s not simply about how many queries you send each day, nor about charts that show no DRG changes, nor about how long it takes to answer a query. Those are different performance measures (workload, outcome, and response time, respectively).