About McDE

Medical Coding & Documentation Education (McDE, pronounced “Mick-Dee”) provides education and consulting for individuals, providers, healthcare organizations, and coding professionals.

MCDE was founded on the belief that strong education translates to better outcomes across healthcare. And for students, you don’t need the luck of the Irish to succeed. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. MCDE helps you create your own through education that prepares you and mentoring that connects you to opportunity.

At the heart of McDE is Danielle McDermott Bagnell, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, CVBA, AAPC Fellow, educator, consultant, and founder.

Danielle specializes in:
  • risk adjustment
  • clinical documentation improvement (CDI)
  • coding quality
  • value-based care


MCDE was built to prepare professionals for the real world, not just the exam. Every course emphasizes practical application, official guidance, and the confidence to make accurate coding decisions.
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Danielle currently serves as a Senior Coding Educator for a Humana, where she analyzes data and partners with leadership on process to drive success in value-based care contracts. And provides education to providers and coders to strengthen compliance. Her work bridges education, analytics, and real-world application, helping organizations translate complex regulatory requirements into sustainable coding practices.

As the founder of McDE, Danielle has designed and delivered custom training programs, workshops, and certification exam reviews that equip healthcare professionals with the skills and confidence needed for accurate documentation, coding, and auditing for their certification exams and their careers. She also developed a distinctive coding school model focused on practical readiness, preparing graduates to contribute immediately to high-performing coding teams rather than simply teaching theory.

Danielle is committed to advancing the medical coding profession through education, certification development, volunteer leadership, and industry collaboration.

Her contributions include:
  • Reviewer of the CRC® Study Guide, textbook, and instructor classroom materials
  • AAPC Exam Committee member - CRC®, CDEO®, and CVBA® 
  • AAPC Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) CRC® Instructor
  • Risk Adjustment Auditing Instructor for NAMAS, responsible for curriculum development and instruction
  • Speaker for RISE, NAMAS, AHIMA, RISKCON, and HealthCon (Regional and National), AAPC Webinar Library
  • HealthCon National panelist, Ask the Experts: CDI & Risk Adjustment and RISKCON panelist
  • Subject Matter Expert (SME) - Auditor of the CRC® Practicode & Custom VBC Trainings (CME credits)
  • Licensed educator for the CDEO® course
  • Current AAPC Chapter Advisory Board (CAB) member for Region 7
  • Volunteer speaker supporting AAPC local chapter education and fundraising initiatives


Through these roles, Danielle helps advance the profession by developing educational content, supporting certification programs, mentoring coding professionals, and translating complex coding, documentation, and risk adjustment concepts into practical, real-world education. Beyond her professional work, Danielle is a lifelong learner who believes education should empower people not only to pass exams, but to grow meaningful, sustainable careers where they help their families and the patients we serve. Education that prepares you for the work, not just the credential.
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The Meaning Behind McDE

McDE is more than an acronym. It is a nod to Danielle’s Irish roots and family heritage as a McDermott.


The name is inspired by McDermott's Castle, a historic castle in Ireland associated with the McDermott family name. While McDE is not a history lesson, the connection reflects something deeply personal. A legacy of resilience, learning, and building something meant to last.


That sense of heritage influences the McDE approach to education. Thoughtful, grounded, and built with care. Every course, webinar, and resource is designed with intention, respect for the profession, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

Education With Purpose

Danielle is also a devoted mother of two and stepmother to two more, and she brings that same sense of responsibility and purpose into her work. McDE was created with the understanding that behind every credential is a person balancing career growth, family, and life demands.

That perspective shapes how McDE teaches. Clear instruction. Practical tools. Supportive learning experiences that meet professionals where they are and help them move forward with confidence.

McDE exists to provide education that is accurate, practical, and rooted in real-world experience, leaving professionals more confident, more capable, and better prepared for their careers.

Testimonials

"I enthusiastically recommend Danielle in any educational role. As a Coding Leader at CSI, it was easy to spot the extra skills Danielle brought to her job as a mentor, coach and in terms of quality improvement. When we spoke of accuracy the first time, she was not the typical “people need education” person…rather, she was a “people need feedback, coaching and mentoring” type person. This made me gravitate toward her when we embarked on building our own Risk Adjustment Coding Training Academy at CSI. Danielle initially started as a content SME, but after a few weeks, it was clear that we needed her to lead the education effort itself, and surrounded her with supportive resources to allow her to focus on methodology and delivery. What I saw after that was a person that transformed into a full blown educator that needed set loose on obtaining certifications and developing and fostering our relationship with AAPC as a partner in education. With the collaboration of the AAPC’s content, and CSI’s proprietary Core Competency Curriculum, and the CSI University eLearning Platform, Danielle was a force in changing how we trained coders for CSI. With over 95% of our RACTA Coders passing the CRC during or shortly after concluding the immersive learning practicum, I am positive that Danielle’s methodology for continuous coaching and feedback to a novice coder was a key reason for the success rate.."
Michelle Wieczorek - Industry Leader
"I had the opportunity to cross paths with Danielle during a recent risk adjustment presentation and was completely blown away. I am a seasoned healthcare professional of 15+ years and I attend a variety of educational webinars on a monthly and yearly basis. Many presenters follow the same flow of presenting slides and reading off those slides, which at times can get make education sessions very mundane. Danielle's presentation's are much more robust! The aesthetics of her presentation's are very attention grabbing! Her speaking tone and ability to elaborate on the content really kept me engaged and I am certain she captivated the entire audience. I highly recommend Danielle for her strong presentation and subject matter expert skills. I can't wait to attend her next presentation! "
Kimoy Sweeney, CRC - Lead Provider Educator
"Highly recommend Danielle Bagnell, who was my instructor from Dec 23, 2023 to Mar 2024. Her patience and thoroughness regarding presentation of the Risk Adjustment Coding course material was unending. I am forever grateful for the way she shared her knowledge and experiences along with required components. It allowed me to absorb material, apply it and obtain my certification. Her teaching adjusts to the unique learning style of her students as she genuinely participates in a learning experience that offers growth for all involved."
Augustina Mash, CRC - Course Graduate
"Danielle was my first instructor and mentor when I began my RA coding career. She possesses a unique gift of being able to deliver the material necessary while also maintaining the pace and structure needed to convey the information without the student becoming either overwhelmed or bored. The effort and time she puts in off the clock to make the materials and presentations highlight not only her dedication to education but also her desire and commitment to seeing others achieve success. While talented, knowledgeable, and driven, perhaps her most unique quality lies in her ability to foster a self belief and enthusiasm within her students. Her encouragement becomes infectious and the seeds of empowerment are sown. With each new student that she instructs a ripple effect is established creating more successful people who hopefully continue to better the next person. As an instructor, employee, and a person, I cannot recommend her enough."
Brittany Fidler, CRC - Course Graduate
"Danielle is extremely knowledgeable and experienced about the subject matter and is also very caring about the success of her students. Danielle instructs in a relatable way and she also challenges her students in order for them to be able to retain the material so that they have the ability to apply that knowledge to their careers. She prepared her lessons well and presented them with enthusiasm and professionalism. Danielle always answered any questions in a timely manner with a kind and caring attitude. When I completed the course, I felt confident to begin my career as a Risk Adjustment Coder in large part because of the training that I received from Danielle. I apply the information that I have learned from her every day in my position as a new coder. Danielle is a wonderful instructor and mentor and since completing the course, I have continued to attend webinars that she has hosted because she presents up-to-date and relevant content and I always learn something new from her. I feel very fortunate that I still have the opportunity to continue to learn from Danielle as she is an expert in the subject matter that she teaches, as well as a professional who genuinely wants her students to succeed. "
Jill Gorman, CRC - Course Graduate
"Not only is Danielle a natural educator, she is a delightful human! I had the pleasure of learning under Danielle’s instruction...from December 2023 to February 2024. Her extensive background in the medical coding field and her wealth of knowledge specific to risk adjustment blew me away. She was approachable and supportive to anyone who had questions or needed an alternate explanation to better understand the topics being discussed. Her work ethic, dedication, and energy is contagious! With the help of her support and guidance I was able to pass my CRC exam on the first attempt. I cannot recommend her enough. "
Sarah Kiselycznyk, CRC - Course Graduate
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