Time between payment and first study session should be measured in minutes, not days. In 2026, PracticeVCE processes orders automatically and delivers the ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist materials by email within 1 minute.
ACDIS CCDS Exam Overview:
| Certification Vendor: | ACDIS (Association of Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialists) |
|---|---|
| Exam Name: | Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist Examination |
| Exam Number: | CCDS |
| Exam Format: | Four answer choices (A-D), Analysis, Recall, Application, Multiple-choice |
| Certificate Validity Period: | 2 years |
| Related Certifications: | Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist-Outpatient (CCDS-O) |
| Exam Price: | USD 280 for ACDIS members; USD 380 for non-members; additional USD 100 for international candidates |
| Exam Duration: | 180 minutes |
| Real Exam Qty: | 140 (120 scored + 20 pretest) |
| Available Languages: | English |
| Passing Score: | 88 correct out of 120 scored questions |
| Recommended Training: | ACDIS CCDS Exam Study Guide ACDIS Certification and CCDS Resources |
| Exam Registration: | ACDIS CCDS Exam Application Prometric Exam Scheduling |
| Sample Questions: | DOWNLOAD DEMO |
| Exam Way: | Computer-based examination at Prometric Test Centers or remotely proctored online. |
| Pre Condition: | Candidates must currently work as a concurrent or retrospective CDI specialist in an inpatient acute care facility using the U.S. IPPS and meet one of ACDIS's education/experience pathways: RN, RHIA, RHIT, MD, or DO plus 2 years of experience; an associate degree in an allied health field plus 3 years of experience; or qualifying college-level coursework/AHIMA CCS or CCS-P plus 3 years of experience. |
| Official Syllabus URL: | https://www.acdis.org/certification/ccds/about |
ACDIS CCDS Exam Syllabus Topics:
| Section | Weight | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Professionalism, ethics, and compliance | 9.17% | - Confidentiality, DRG compliance, and ethical CDI practices - Query compliance, DRG creep, and audit risks |
| Healthcare regulations, reimbursement, and documentation requirements related to the IPPS | 12.5% | - CC/MCC, CMI, Medicare contractors, and compliance - IPPS, MS-DRGs, reimbursement, and medical necessity |
| Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting | 14.17% | - Coding guidelines, AHA Coding Clinic, HACs, and POA indicators - Principal and secondary diagnosis assignment |
| Medical record documentation | 19.17% | - Documentation requirements and diagnosis or procedure code assignment - Documentation clarification and compliant physician queries |
| Impact of reportable diagnoses on quality of care | 8.33% | - Mortality, severity of illness, and risk of mortality - Quality metrics, reporting programs, and financial impact |
| Communication skills | 9.17% | - CDI and coding roles and interdisciplinary collaboration - Physician education and effective communication |
| Anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology | 19.17% | - Clinical conditions and clinical indicators - Anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and terminology |
| Healthcare facility CDI program analysis | 8.33% | - CDI productivity, provider response, CMI, and program metrics - Data analysis, forecasting, and performance measurement |
ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist Exam: Clean Tools, Honest Terms
The CCDS exam is a ACDIS certification exam validating the ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist syllabus shown above. It belongs to these credential paths: Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist-Outpatient (CCDS-O). Candidates in 2026 start with PracticeVCE's 152 practice questions, available as a printable PDF, a Windows Desktop Test Engine, and an Online Test Engine — three versions of the same materials.
The official ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist outline defines 8 domains. The leading three are Medical record documentation (19.17%), Healthcare regulations, reimbursement, and documentation requirements related to the IPPS (12.5%), and Healthcare facility CDI program analysis (8.33%). The full list is in the topics section above, and PracticeVCE's 152 practice questions cover each one.
Candidates must currently work as a concurrent or retrospective CDI specialist in an inpatient acute care facility using the U.S. IPPS and meet one of ACDIS's education/experience pathways: RN, RHIA, RHIT, MD, or DO plus 2 years of experience; an associate degree in an allied health field plus 3 years of experience; or qualifying college-level coursework/AHIMA CCS or CCS-P plus 3 years of experience. Since requirements change over time, confirm the latest on the official ACDIS exam page before scheduling.
Three versions of the same study materials: a printable, expert-prepared PDF with free demo download and instant access; a Desktop Test Engine for Windows with customizable simulation and timed modes that works offline; and an Online Test Engine for any browser on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS with test history and performance review. All 152 practice questions are identical across versions. Every purchase includes 365 days of free updates, a 50% renewal discount afterward, and unlimited computer installations.
The ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist exam requires 88 correct out of 120 scored questions to pass, and registration costs USD 280 for ACDIS members; USD 380 for non-members; additional USD 100 for international candidates. A failed attempt means paying the same fee again — a readiness check with the PracticeVCE engines before booking is the cheaper option.
ACDIS recommends these training resources for the ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist exam:
Follow the training with steady self-testing — the 152 practice questions from PracticeVCE help you apply theory and fill any gaps the training leaves.
The ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist exam contains 140 (120 scored + 20 pretest) to complete within 180 minutes. Timed simulation in the PracticeVCE Desktop Test Engine teaches that rhythm before exam day does.
PracticeVCE issues a full refund if you take the ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist exam within 60 days of purchase and do not pass. The policy does not apply if the exam is taken within 3 days of purchase, if the exam was never actually taken, or to free materials or expired orders, and the candidate name must match the payer name. Submit a scan of your enrollment slip and the official Score Report PDF within 2 days of the exam; claims are processed within 7 days. Alternatively, exchange for two free exam products of equal value and keep your original update service. Orders arrive by email within 1 minute — contact support if nothing arrives within 2 hours.
Computer-based examination at Prometric Test Centers or remotely proctored online. Register for the ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist exam through these official channels:
After booking, PracticeVCE delivers your practice questions within 1 minute — preparation starts the same day.
ACDIS Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist Sample Questions:
Which CMS program can reduce an eligible hospital's Medicare base operating DRG payments by as much as
3% because of excess readmissions?
- A. Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program
- B. Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program
- C. Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program
- D. Medicare DSH Program
Correct Answer: B 🗳️
Explanation: Only visible for PracticeVCE members. You can sign-up / login (it's free).
A 34-year-old female was admitted from a group home with uncontrolled diabetes. A CDI specialist must query to specify the patient's mental incapacity since it makes management of the diabetes more difficult.
Which of the following terminology recognized by ICD-10-CM could result in the assignment of a comorbid condition?
- A. severe mental challenge
- B. severe intellectual disability
- C. acute intellectual disability
- D. acute mental incapacity
Correct Answer: B 🗳️
Explanation: Only visible for PracticeVCE members. You can sign-up / login (it's free).
Under the FY 2026 Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, which hospitals are subject to the program's payment reduction?
- A. Hospitals with a CMI below 1.0 receive a 2% reduction
- B. Every hospital reporting a single HAC receives a 1% reduction
- C. Hospitals in the worst-performing quartile based on the Total HAC Score receive a 1% reduction in applicable Medicare FFS payments
- D. Hospitals with mortality rates above the national average receive a 2% reduction
Correct Answer: C 🗳️
Explanation: Only visible for PracticeVCE members. You can sign-up / login (it's free).
The attending physician documents acute respiratory failure. The patient has normal respiratory effort, oxygen saturation of 97% on room air, no supplemental oxygen requirement, and no ventilatory support. What is the MOST appropriate CDI action?
- A. Change the diagnosis to hypoxemia
- B. Ignore the discrepancy because provider documentation can never be questioned
- C. Delete the diagnosis from the medical record
- D. Initiate a clinical validation query
Correct Answer: D 🗳️
Explanation: Only visible for PracticeVCE members. You can sign-up / login (it's free).
A physician documents acute kidney injury. The patient's creatinine is 0.8 mg/dL on admission, 0.9 mg/dL the following day, and 0.8 mg/dL at discharge. Urine output remains normal and no renal treatment is provided.
What is the BEST CDI action?
- A. Accept acute kidney injury because the physician documented it
- B. Initiate a clinical validation query
- C. Remove acute kidney injury from the chart
- D. Change the diagnosis to chronic kidney disease
Correct Answer: B 🗳️
Explanation: Only visible for PracticeVCE members. You can sign-up / login (it's free).
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