About Clinical Documentation Improvement Australia

With extensive experience as a Health Information Manager, Mike has a high level of proficiency in health information, casemix management and CDI. A skilled communicator with an intense passion for the healthcare industry, Mike has rolled out numerous CDI programs across Australia for a large private hospital group. He is regarded by his peers as an authority on implementing CDI programs seamlessly with clinicians and health leaders.

Nicole’s passion is to partner with hospitals, improving clinical documentation and empowering clinicians to deliver safer patient care. Nicole is widely regarded as Australia’s foremost Clinical Documentation Specialist. Co-founder of CDIA (Clinical Documentation Improvement Australia), she shares her wealth of knowledge with the industry to support patient safety through clinical documentation improvement. An expansive education in healthcare led to Nicole achieving a Bachelor of Nursing, a Masters Degree in Health Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Research. She is responsible for the implementation of the first CDI program in the private hospital industry which has received significant acclaim and awards.

With a diverse nursing background, Samantha has 20 years of experience working in Australian and UK hospitals. She holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing, specialising in teaching and learning. Recognised as one of the most experienced clinical documentation specialists in the country, Samantha has practiced in acute care, as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and as a Clinical Educator. Samantha holds the esteem of her peers for her involvement in the first formal, concurrent CDI program with specialised training in the private sector.

Sophie De’Ambrosis is one of CDIA’s medical doctors based in Brisbane. Sophie obtained her medical degree in 2020 from The University of Queensland, where she was awarded The University Medal for outstanding achievement. She has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Business Leadership focusing on medical leadership. Sophie has a wide range of clinical experience in both medical and surgical specialties across Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. She has experienced first hand how important accurate clinical documentation is to patient safety, and how it contributes to fostering a positive work environment. Sophie is excited to work with CDIA to improve the healthcare experience for both patients and clinicians.  

Nour holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and a Master's Degree in Nursing Services Administration. Nour has experience in both adult and neonatal intensive care units, and has worked in a range of quality improvement roles, including as a Clinical Documentation Specialist at the largest hospital complex in the southern hemisphere. Nour is a skilful educator of clinicians and is dedicated to enhancing the quality and safety of healthcare through clinical documentation improvement.

Dr. Joe Vincent is a medical doctor and health services manager with extensive experience in CDI. He began his career as a resident medical officer in neurology in India before moving to Australia, where he completed a Master’s in Advanced Health Services Management with a major in Health Informatics.

As one of the founding members of the CDI service at Gold Coast Health, Joe played a pivotal role in establishing the service and supporting the development of a real-time digital clinician query process. Over the past six years, he has strengthened engagement with clinical teams, driven significant improvements in documentation quality, and delivered measurable outcomes in both patient safety and organisational performance.

Joe is recognised for his leadership in the “Ink the Link” initiative, which has delivered substantial revenue recovery and sustainable improvements to documentation quality across multiple specialties. His ability to bridge the gap between clinicians and health information teams has contributed to a significant cultural shift in documentation practices at Gold Coast Health, with clinicians increasingly recognising its value in patient care and system sustainability.

With a strong background in health informatics, project management and change leadership, Joe brings to CDIA a proven track record of innovation, clinician engagement, and system-level improvement. He is passionate about advancing clinical documentation improvement nationally to support safer patient outcomes, empower clinicians, and ensure health services are sustainably resourced for the future.

Clare is a registered nurse based in Brisbane, Queensland. Throughout her career, she has worked predominantly in the private health sector, across various specialities including surgery and medicine.

Alongside this clinical experience, Clare has held roles in quality and safety, and it is with this experience coupled with her clinical background that drove her passion for safety and its impact on clinical outcomes. Clare thrives in a change culture and enjoys working with clinicians to drive meaningful documentation practices.

Alannah Luck is one of CDIA’s medical doctors based in Adelaide. She has
worked in numerous tertiary and regional hospitals in Tasmania and South Australia,
encompassing a range of medical and surgical specialties. Alannah has always had
a keen interest in public health and patient safety, developing a passion for CDI
through witnessing the direct influence of clinical documentation on patient
outcomes. She believes quality clinical documentation is the foundation of excellent
patient care and is eager to contribute to the improvement of clinical documentation
across Australia and internationally.

Bianca is a medical doctor based in Sydney. She graduated from the University of Sydney in 2016 then completed her internship and residency at St. George Hospital in Kogarah. Her clinical experience spans a diverse portfolio of locum employment across 12 specialties and 15 hospitals. Bianca has always understood the pivotal role that clinical documentation plays in the provision of safe patient care, particularly in her capacity as a locum doctor where documentation was critical for continuity of care. She is eager to harness her passion for quality documentation to deliver tangible change to healthcare as a member of the CDIA team.

Renata is a medical doctor who completed her undergraduate medical training at JCU in Townsville, North QLD. Renata went on to complete her internship and residency in Townsville. Following this, Renata has been engaged in various locum medical roles throughout Australia, and is currently studying a Masters of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Through witnessing the direct impact clinical documentation can have on a patient's healthcare experience, Renata became passionate about clinical documentation improvement to ensure patient safety and the delivery of high quality healthcare.

Chloe is one of CDIA's medical doctors. Chloe was university gold medalist and valedictorian of her graduating medical class. She has worked across various hospitals in Queensland and now also works in General Practice. Chloe holds degrees in Law and Commerce (finance and accounting) and has worked in Corporate Tax accounting with PwC Australia. She is also progressing towards the completion of her Masters Degrees in both Public Health and Health Management. Through her academic background, diverse career, and personal experience she became interested in optimisation of medical system design, including improving patient safety. Chloe is excited to be able to combine her skills to drive system-wide change through improving clinical documentation. 

Irish born, Katie is a medical doctor who obtained her medical degree in Ireland.  Looking to broaden her medical experience after working in Ireland, she found herself in Perth, Western Australia. Katie lives and works in multiple public and private hospitals across WA, spanning multiple departments from cardiology to geriatrics. Through her broad clinical experience, she has recognised the impact that clinical documentation can have on patient care. She has a passion for safe clinical practice, quality improvement and exceptional patient care. She is excited to be part of the CDIA team and ultimately work towards creating safer patient outcomes through improved clinical documentation.

Dr Kelsi Marris is one of CDIA’s medical doctors. Her career includes wide-ranging experience working as a resident in hospitals in QLD, NSW and VIC. During her work within different specialist departments, Kelsi developed a keen interest in optimising healthcare systems. This led to the completion of a Masters Degree in Public Health to further her understanding of effective communications and information strategies. Kelsi’s role at CDIA brings together her clinical background, communication skills and passion for patient safety. Her dedication to the improvement of clinical documentation and her drive for system-level change underpin her team’s success.

Jonathon is a medical doctor who has studied and trained all over Queensland as well as completing undergraduate studies in Melbourne. His clinical years have been spent predominantly in Critical Care Medicine where he developed a passion for patient safety through accurate and effective documentation and communication. Educating medical students and other junior doctors has always been an important aspect of his clinical responsibilities and he is excited to be able to combine his passions of patient safety and education as part of the CDIA team.