Clinical Documentation Specialist

Job Summary
Join our team and be a part of our mission to deliver accessible, high-quality, affordable, and compassionate healthcare. Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is a non-profit healthcare system serving 10 counties in northeastern South Dakota and west-central Minnesota. Our team at Prairie Lakes makes a difference in the lives of patients and their loved ones

Position Summary

Wage: 28.09-44.81
On‑site presence in Watertown, SD is required during the first year. This full-time position has the option to be Remote, On-site (Watertown, SD), or Hybrid after the first year.

The Clinical Documentation Specialist (CDS) initiates and performs concurrent documentation review of inpatient records to identify opportunities for clarification of conditions, diagnoses, and procedures when incomplete, conflicting, or nonspecific documentation exists. This review supports accurate capture of clinical severity, level of service, medical necessity, and appropriate reimbursement through the physician query process.

Key Responsibilities

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience-
Bachelor’s degree in nursing required. Graduate from a nationally accredited nursing program preferred. Three years of recent clinical nursing experience required. Experience in case management, utilization management, and/or coding preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations-
Currently holds an unencumbered RN license in the State of South Dakota, or is eligible for current licensure in the State of South Dakota, and/or possesses multistate licensure if practicing in a Nurse Licensure Compact state. Maintains required department-specific competencies and certifications. Certification as a Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) or Clinical Documentation Improvement and Integrity (C-CDI) preferred.


Benefits
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System offers comprehensive benefits for qualifying full-time and part-time employees. Depending on eligibility, a variety of benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, a 403(b)-retirement plan, and generous paid time off to maintain a healthy home-work balance.
Additional benefits for those qualifying include:
Flexible Spending Account
Employee Assistance Program for mental health
Education Loan Program
Community discounts including the Prairie Lakes Wellness Center

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has a Drug Free Workplace Policy. An accepted offer will require positive reference checks and pre-employment background screening as a condition of employment.