Dawnelle joined Pinnacle as an auditing and compliance leader with more than 25 years of expertise in professional fee coding, multi-specialty E/M and minor procedure auditing, and physician documentation integrity. She has directed complex audit initiatives, led cross-functional coding teams, and served as a trusted resource for healthcare organizations seeking to strengthen regulatory compliance, revenue integrity, and clinical documentation outcomes.
During her career, Dawnelle has managed full-cycle audit projects for hospitals, physician groups, and consulting firms, overseeing everything from kickoff and scope development to final executive reporting. She is also recognized for her ability to translate complex coding and regulatory guidelines into practical solutions for providers, coders, and auditors.
Dawnelle is proficient in ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS Level II across multiple specialties and office-based procedures. She possesses advanced research capabilities utilizing authoritative industry resources, including Federal Regulations, OIG, CMS and MAC guidance, AHA Coding Clinic, AMA CPT Assistant, and a broad range of professional publications. She has used those skills to develop internal job aids, enterprise-wide coding newsletters, educational tools, and industry articles. Dawnelle is also experienced with multiple electronic medical record systems, including Epic, Athena, Cerner, NextGen, and Meditech. Her work reflects a balance of technical expertise, strategic insight, and a strong commitment to accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.
Dawnelle holds multiple AAPC certifications, including CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, and CRC, and previously founded and led the Harrisonburg, VA AAPC Local Chapter. She continues to support the profession through coding education, internal training development, and thought leadership in the evolving healthcare regulatory landscape.
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