A CDI specialist identifies an opportunity to clarify a patient’s BMI.

This scenario describes a query placedbefore the patient is seen, with the intent that the issue be addressedduring the upcoming visit. In outpatient CDI practice, that is the defining feature of aprospectivequery: it is initiated ahead of the encounter so the provider and/or clinic team can capture needed specificity in real time (here, clarifying BMI-related documentation to support an obesity diagnosis when clinically appropriate). By contrast, aconcurrentquery is typically issued while the encounter is actively occurring or immediately as documentation is being created and reviewed in near–real time. Aretrospectivequery occurs after the visit is completed, usually during post-encounter review, when opportunities are identified after documentation is finalized. “Prebill” refers to a workflow timing concept tied to billing hold/review before claim submission, not the clinical timing of when the patient will be seen. Because the query is placed in advance specifically to be addressed during the scheduled visit,prospectiveis the best classification.