The obstacle is the way: The art of overcoming challenges with WVU’s Dawn Diven

It’s not easy moving into Clinical Documentation Integrity as a new nurse or coding professional. But now imagine what it’s like if you’re from Maryland. And it’s 2006. These were pre-ACDIS days, in a state which used APR-DRGs. In other words, no best practice, little information, and no real community. But Dawn Diven, Enterprise System Director of Clinical Documentation Improvement for WVU Medicine, is used to taking on difficult challenges—and overcoming them. And she’s got a track record to prove it. Which you’d never know because she’s also humble and down to earth as they come. On this episode we discuss: How one survived (and thrived!) in CDI in the stone age that was 2006, in Maryland of all places. Hint: Networking is key. Dawn’s career progression and leap into leadership in 2016 The lay of the land at an ever-changing WVU program: Implementing assistive software (a two-year process from approval to adoption!) and a CDI career latter The struggles of being an early adopter of outpatient CDI How to build a business case: Where to start, how to do it, and Dawn’s secret sauce for 100% success rate, to date A revealing look at some of her struggles and failures The difficult reality and compromises inherent in leading a team A classic rock hit that I can’t believe didn’t make the OTR Spotify playlist ... until now.