Conference Update: Tips to convince your program to send you to the ACDIS conference

Have you pitched attending the 2016 ACDIS conference in Atlanta to your boss yet? Here’s a sample letter you can use to start the conversation. Modify it as necessary and be sure to add in a few of the specific issues from sessions which you’d like to attend by reviewing the agenda.

 

Dear _______;

I would like to attend the ACDIS conference in Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-26, 2015. 

 

Because of the careful attention we need to give to the budget and spending, I thought I would  outline for you why attendance is an investment that will help me keep my CDI skills current and help us advance our CDI efforts as a team. It is a great forum to network and share ideas with other CDI professionals. Plus, I can earn valuable CEUs from the ANCC, ACDIS, AAPC, AHIMA, and more.

The 2016 conference offers 2 ½ days of training and education.  The General Session opening session will be presented by CMS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard Wild, who will discuss, “Value-Based Purchasing and the Transformation of Healthcare.” 

 

The agenda also includes sessions on severity of illness and risk of mortailty, quality in the CDI program, program management strategies, documentation compliance, coding guidelines, and much more to help strengthen our program.

 

Here is a link to the conference webpage, which includes the agenda.

 

ACDIS always offers pre- and post-conference events that we may find important to consider. There will be a CDI for Quality Boot Camp, a Physician Advisor’s Role in CDI Boot Camp, and a Building a Best Practice CDI Team program. There is an opportunity to take the CCDS exam after the conference for anyone on our team who wants to become certified. Obviously, the pre- and post-conference events are an additional expense, and we can discuss whether I should attend them.

 

The conference offers me the opportunity to meet and problem-solve with CDI experts, and that alone makes this an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.

 

Specifically, I want to attend the conference to get information or help with:

1.         <Fill in>

2.         <Fill in>

3.         <Fill in>

 

Here is an estimation of the cost to send me to the ACDIS Conference. The cost of conference includes the cost of some breakfasts and lunches:

 

Hotel: (3 nights at $189) $567 (hotels fill quickly, we should reserve as soon as possible)

Registration: $1,005 (early-bird discount is $905; ACDIS member $905, early-bird $805)

 

Airfare/travel is a cost I haven’t estimated.

 

I am requesting approval so we can take advantage of the early-bird registration rate of only $805 (if we’re ACDIS members). It is a $200 savings—if we register before March 22, 2016. If we send the team, the fifth person registers for free.

 

I will meet with you with the agenda so we can plan my best path through the sessions. And I will meet with you after the conference to discuss significant takeaways, tips, and recommended actions to maximize our investment in our CDI program. I will also share relevant information with the team and other key staff. 

 

Thank you for considering this request. Again, if I get approval now, then we can save up to $200 on the registration, and keep our total investment under $2,000. I look forward to your reply.

 

 

Thank you!

 

[Name]