Director, Clinical Documentation Integrity - Remote

UnitedHealth Group•Phoenix, AZ

1d•$112,700 - $193,200•Remote

About The Position

The Service Area Director, Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) directs the CDI department and oversees a high-volume, multi-hospital program across six client hospitals in Arizona and Nevada. The role is responsible for planning, administering, controlling, and quality-managing department activities, including concurrent review of inpatient medical-record documentation, program performance, staffing, workflows, and regular reporting to hospital leadership. It is a high-visibility, client-facing leadership position requiring frequent onsite engagement with executive and clinical leadership teams and travel to client sites. The position has no patient-care duties or direct patient interactions. The Director collaborates with providers and other healthcare team members to improve documentation so it accurately and comprehensively reflects clinical treatment, decisions, diagnoses, severity of illness, risk of mortality, and treatment complexity. The role provides CDI education to physicians, providers, staff, and new employees; tracks compliance and performance to identify educational and improvement opportunities; and uses facility-specific tools and clinical expertise to support best practices and compliance. The Director works with hospital executives and teams across finance, quality, case management, care coordination, medical records, and other departments, and uses enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline workflows and support continuous improvement. The position may be performed remotely from anywhere in the United States, with frequent travel to client sites. Employees hired in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area must work in the office at least four days per week. Remote employees must follow UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy.

Requirements

CCDS or CDIP certification.
At least 5 years of acute-care hospital clinical RN experience, or medical graduate status with CDI experience and CDI certification (CCDS or CDIP).
At least 2 years of leadership experience involving team and program oversight.
Advanced analytics and reporting experience, including Excel and dashboards.
Ability to travel 30–40% to client sites.

Nice To Haves

Director-level CDI leadership experience.
Experience with large hospital systems.
Experience managing managers and large team structures.
A strong operational and performance-management background.

Responsibilities

Direct CDI operations and program oversight across six hospitals in Arizona and Nevada.
Plan daily department operations in conjunction with the AVP of CDI and participate in setting objectives to meet KPIs.
Ensure adequate staffing and effective workflows to meet CDI needs.
Monitor reports and productivity to ensure production standards and objectives are met.
Maintain accountability for CDI program performance; monitor KPIs, communicate results to facility leadership, and implement process changes to maintain or improve performance.
Collaborate with hospital executives, including CFOs, CMOs, and clinical leaders, and lead client-facing meetings, escalations, and strategic discussions.
Consult with Physician Advisors and/or CMOs to resolve provider issues involving clarifications and participation in CDI.
Serve as a resource to physicians, case managers, and other professional staff on CDI and ICD-10 matters.
Work with medical records, quality, finance, physician groups, and other departments to develop systems for complete documentation and data reporting.
Develop and monitor strategic operating goals, objectives, and budgets; report performance and recommend justification or corrective action.
Manage direct reports and oversee the development and management of indirect reports; interview, hire, lead, counsel, and train employees.
Build productive interdepartmental, intradepartmental, and vendor relationships.
Oversee compliance with government and agency regulations.
Provide ongoing CDI education for providers, new staff, and staff addressing new initiatives or knowledge deficits; track and trend compliance to identify educational needs.
Design and implement education programs for CDI staff, orient and train new employees, and participate in ongoing staff education.
Submit monthly reports on CDI program progress and operations to hospital leadership; respond promptly to questions, concerns, and requests and provide guidance on policies, procedures, and practices.
Identify improvement and education opportunities through data collection, analysis, and reports; participate in committees and conduct studies as needed.
Consult with providers and clinical professionals and lead changes that improve the care team's ability to provide appropriate and timely treatment and communicate patient condition and response to treatment.
Manage multiple projects, cross-functional teams, and strategic initiatives across facilities and client accounts.
Use enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and drive continuous improvement.
Evaluate emerging trends to inform solution design and strategic innovation.
Perform related duties as required.