Local chapter update: Soliciting speakers for all-day chapter events

Last week in CDI Strategies, the ACDIS team put together some tips for choosing a date and location for an all-day chapter event. But, what should chapter leaders do once those details are ironed out? In short, they can begin soliciting speakers.

The online leadership toolkit includes a sample speaker application form (note this is a pdf of ACDIS annual conference speaker application, chapter leaders need to adapt it either in a word format or online survey tool to fit their needs) and a sample speaker solicitation letter. Also, be sure to request the most recent copy of the chapter’s online membership roster from ACDIS national as it includes information regarding members who might be interested in speaking at your local events.

Determine, as a leadership team, how many sessions and topic types to feature. This will depend partly on the starting and ending time and flexibility of the host and leadership teams. Generally, a four-session, full-day event features two, hour-long morning programs, a lunch, and two, hour-long afternoon programs. Groups can add up to five or six sessions by starting earlier, having a “working” lunch, or staying later in the day.

For example, the agenda for a recent meeting in Massachusetts included:

• 7:30 a.m.: Registration/breakfast
• 8:15 a.m.: Welcoming remarks
• 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Dr. Jon Elion: Outpatient Clinical Documentation Improvement: A Practical Approach
• 9:30-10:30 a.m.: Barry Libman: 2019 Code and Guideline Updates and Their Impact on CDI
• 10:30-10:45 a.m.: Break
• 10-45-11:45 a.m.: Industry Best Practices Panel Discussion and Town Hall
• 11:45-12:45 p.m.: Networking lunch
• 12:45-1:45 p.m.: Karen Newhouser: Clinical Validation
• 1:45-2:45 p.m.: Artifact Health: Physician Mobile Query Application
• 2:45-3:00 p.m.: ACDIS update
• 3:00-3:30 p.m.: Closing remarks and Q&A

With speakers set, leaders need to apply for CCDS continuing education credits at least 30-days in advance of the program. Assign a member of the leadership team to collect the necessary information including:

• Speaker bios
• Session titles
• Learning objectives
• Timed agenda

CEUs for the CCDS are free for local chapters. Click here to download the application.

The following is a list of upcoming events for ACDIS local chapters. If you have an upcoming event you would like to include, please email Melissa Varnavas (mvarnavas@acdis.org) and Linnea Archibald (larchibald@acdis.org).

August:

• The Suffolk County Long Island ACDIS chapter meets Thursday, August 16, 1-2 p.m., via conference call. For information, contact the chapter leadership team (scacdis@gmail.com).
• The North Carolina ACDIS chapter meets Friday, August 24, for their summer conference at Mission Health in Asheville. For information, contact the leadership team (ncacdis@gmail.com).
• The Kentucky and Indiana ACDIS local chapters meet Friday, August 24, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Baptist Health in Louisville, Kentucky. The registration fee is $95. Click here to download the registration form. For information, contact Susan Snyder (ssnyder1@bhsi.com).

September:

• The California ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, September 5, 12-1 p.m., via webinar. For information, contact Emily Emmons (emily.l.emmons@kp.org).
• The Illinois ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, September 12, 12-6:30 p.m., at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital in Lake Forest. For information, contact Jenny Prescia (jprescia@nm.org).
• The New Orleans ACDIS chapter meets on Thursday, September 13, 4-5 p.m., at Semolina’s Restaurant in Clearview. For information, contact Judith Dowling (Judith.dowling@ochsner.org).
• The Maryland ACDIS chapter meets on Friday, September 14, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Towson. Click here to download the save-the-date flyer. For information, contact Candace Blankenship (evalani3@msn.com).
• The Suffolk County Long Island ACDIS chapter meets Friday, September 14, 9:30-11:30 a.m., at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook. For information, contact the chapter leadership team (scacdis@gmail.com).
• The Kansas City Missouri ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, September 19, 2-4 p.m., at North Kansas City Hospital in Kansas City. For information, contact Angelica Naylor (Angelica.Naylor@nkch.org).
• The Minnesota ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, September 26, 1-2 p.m. via conference call. For information, contact Jera Van Damme (jera.vandamme@essentiahealth.org).
• The Washington Evergreen ACDIS chapter meets on Friday, September 28, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Trios Women's and Children's Hospital in Kennewick. Click here to download the save-the-date. For information, contact the leadership team (evergreenacdis@gmail.com).

Save-the-date:

• The Arizona ACDIS chapter and the Arizona component of AHIMA meet on Saturday, October 6, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at MIHS in Phoenix. For information, contact Debra Beisel Denton (debra.beiseldenton@mihs.org).
• The Michigan ACDIS chapter meets Saturday, October 6, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., at McLaren Hospitality House in Flint. Click here to download the save-the-date. For information, contact Susan Fantin (susan.fantin@comcast.net).
• The Westchester/Hudson Valley ACDIS chapter meets Friday, October 11, 2-4 p.m. at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco. For information, contact Kerry Seekircher (kseekircher@northwell.edu).
• The Massachusetts ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, October 17, 1-4 p.m., at Care New England, Kent Hospital in Warwick, Rhode Island. For information, contact Joyce Williams (JWilliams@Lifespan.org).
• The California ACDIS chapter meets for their fourth annual conference on Friday, October 19, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the San Diego Liberty Station Conference Center. Click here to download the save-the-date flyer. For information, contact Rani Stoddard (stoddarddrv@henrymayo.com).
• Missouri's three ACDIS chapters meet Saturday, October 20, for the third annual Show Me State conference at SSM DePaul in St. Louis. For information, contact Mariann Dinello (mariann.dinello@ssmhealth.com).
• The Suffolk County Long Island ACDIS chapter meets Monday, December 3, 9:30-11:30 a.m., at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook. For information, contact the chapter leadership team (scacdis@gmail.com).