Description: This session explores the sharp rise in acute care denials - particularly for high-risk diagnoses such as sepsis, respiratory failure, and malnutrition - and provides healthcare staff with practical strategies in clinical validation, documentation integrity, and interdisciplinary collaboration to strengthen compliance, safeguard revenue, and improve patient outcomes in the clinical revenue cycle.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify Common DRG Denials & Root Causes
• Recognize the top denied diagnoses, understand payer trends, and assess the financial and operational impact of DRG-related denials
• Strengthen Clinical Validation & Medical Necessity Alignment
• Evaluate key clinical indicators, medical necessity criteria, AI and ensure provider documentation supports DRG assignments
• Implement Best Practices for Denial Prevention
• Apply proactive CDI and coding strategies to improve documentation accuracy, enhance revenue integrity, and mitigate financial risk
• Enhance Collaboration Across CDI, Coding, & Utilization Review
• Foster interdisciplinary teamwork to support accurate DRG assignments, defensible documentation, understand regulatory and payer compliance.
• Develop Effective Appeal & Negotiation Strategies
• Utilize real-world case studies to craft strong appeal arguments, navigate payer disputes, and overturn inappropriate denials.
  
  

Webinar Publish Date: This was presented as part of the OHIMA 2026 Annual Meeting & Trade Show - March 11, 2026.
Duration: 1 hour

Speaker: Shirlivia M. Parker, MHA, RHIA, CDIP, CRCR, is a nationally recognized healthcare executive with over 20 years of expertise in clinical revenue cycle operations, specializing in Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI), coding, compliance, denials management, and population health optimization. Recognized by Marquis Who's Who in America, she holds a Master of Health Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management. As Vice President of Advisory Services, Compliance & Education at The HIMpros and an Independent Healthcare Consultant, Shirlivia leads national initiatives that align documentation excellence with quality, operational performance, and patient safety. She serves on the AHIMA Council for Excellence in Education (2025-2028), ACHE Membership and Career Advancement Committees, and HFMA. A dedicated educator, she taught for four years as an Adjunct Professor in an Associate of Health Information Management and Technology program, mentoring future HIM professionals. Globally, Shirlivia earned recognition for her presentation "Sepsis: A Global Lens on Clinical Accuracy, Patient Safety, and Healthcare Coding Integrity" at the HIMAA National Conference in Canberra, Australia. She is currently enrolled in the UC Berkeley Haas Executive Leadership (CEO) Program, embodying its principles of lifelong learning and leadership for the greater good.

Click here to register for this webinar!

Cost: $25 Members / $35 Non-Members
1 AHIMA CEU*
Domain: Data Structure, Content and Information Governance

*AHIMA CEUs are also accepted by the AAPC! Check eligibility on the AAPC website.