Miranda Benard
Vienna,IL
Summary
Dedicated Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) Specialist with over 10 years of nursing experience and more than 6 years specializing in clinical documentation improvement. Experienced in concurrent and retrospect documentation review, physician education, clinical denials management, appeal writing, mortality review, Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) review, and quality improvement initiatives. Proven ability to improve documentation accuracy, ensure regulatory compliance, and support appropriate reimbursement through collaboration with providers and multidisciplinary teams. Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
Overview
1
1
Certification
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialist
SIH (Southern Illinois Healthcare)
12.2019 - Current
- Perform concurrent clinical documentation reviews to ensure complete, accurate, and compliant medical record documentation.
- Serve as a Level II CDI reviewer, providing advanced clinical review and documentation support.
- Managed all clinical denials, including comprehensive review, appeal preparation, and submission of in-scope insurance appeals.
- Conduct mortality chart reviews to evaluate documentation accuracy and identify quality improvement opportunities.
- Review Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) to ensure accurate documentation and reporting.
- Collaborate with physicians, coding professionals, case management, and quality teams to improve documentation supporting clinical severity and reimbursement.
- Educate providers regarding documentation best practices and regulatory requirements.
- Support organizational quality initiatives through documentation improvement and clinical validation.
Registered Nurse - Medical-Surgical Unit
SIH (Southern Illinois Healthcare)
01.2015 - 12.2019
- Provided comprehensive nursing care for adult medical-surgical patients.
- Worked several months in the Intensive Care Unit, caring for critically ill patients and strengthening advanced clinical assessment skills.
- Coordinated interdisciplinary patient care while maintaining accurate clinical documentation.
- Educated patients and families regarding treatment plans and discharge planning.
Patient Care Technician
Southern Illinois Healthcare - Herrin Hospital
Herrin, IL
03.2013 - 07.2015
- Assisted nursing staff with patient care activities, including bathing, feeding, and mobility support.
- Monitored vital signs and reported changes to medical team promptly.
- Maintained cleanliness and organization of patient rooms to ensure a safe environment.
- Implemented safety protocols during patient transfers and procedures to minimize risk.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to enhance patient care strategies and outcomes.
- Trained new staff on operational procedures and best practices in patient care delivery.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Nursing (BSN)
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT01-2025
Associate Degree in Nursing - Nursing (ADN)
Shawnee Community College
Ullin, IL01-2015
Skills
- Assisted in maintaining clinical documentation integrity through thorough review processes
- Conducted retrospective chart reviews to support accurate data collection
- Facilitated physician queries and provided educational resources to enhance understanding
- Supported clinical validation efforts to ensure adherence to standards
- Applied ICD-10 coding guidelines and coding clinics for accurate coding practices
- Utilized Epic software for efficient electronic health record management
- Leveraged Microsoft Office tools for documentation and reporting
- Created and managed Excel spreadsheets for data analysis
- Applied MS-DRG and APR-DRG concepts to optimize coding accuracy
- Managed clinical denials through effective strategies
- Drafted appeal letters to address clinical denials
- Performed mortality reviews to identify trends and improve patient outcomes
- Monitored patient safety indicators (PSIs) to enhance care quality
- Tracked quality metrics to assess and improve service delivery
- Evaluation of severity of illness (SOI) and risk of mortality (ROM)
- Able to easily collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and other departments
Certification
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS)
PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
- More than 10 years of nursing experience.
- More than 6 years of CDI experience.
- Advanced expertise in clinical denials management and insurance appeals.
- Experienced reviewer of mortality cases and Patient Safety Indicators.
- Strong background collaborating with physicians to improve documentation quality, coding accuracy, and reimbursement.
- Recognized for analytical thinking, attention to detail, and commitment to documentation excellence.
Timeline
Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialist
SIH (Southern Illinois Healthcare)
12.2019 - Current
Registered Nurse - Medical-Surgical Unit
SIH (Southern Illinois Healthcare)
01.2015 - 12.2019
Patient Care Technician
Southern Illinois Healthcare - Herrin Hospital
03.2013 - 07.2015
Bachelor of Science - Nursing (BSN)
Western Governors University
Associate Degree in Nursing - Nursing (ADN)
Shawnee Community College