Local chapter updates: FAQs for local leadership

We recently received a number of questions from one of our local chapters and thought other leaders might have some of the same questions and would benefit from the information. Without further ado, here they are.

Is there a new contact at ACDIS that we should be communicating with in addition to ACDIS Associate Editorial Director Melissa Varnavas?

ACDIS Editor Linnea Archibald is helping with local chapters by keeping our webpages updated and accurate, including information about upcoming meetings in this email newsletter and other publications, and helping to keep track of official paperwork such as rosters and agreement forms. She (and Melissa Varnavas) should be included on any communications leaders have with local chapter members and should be included on your rosters. Her email is larchibald@acdis.org.

Additionally, Penny Richards assists local chapter leaders with CCDS applications for local events. Requests for CCDS CE credits should use the form located on the ACDIS website, here. Please include the entire team (Archibald, Richards, and Varnavas) on application emails. If you have questions about the application process email Richard directly at prichards@acdis.org. Please note, these applications should come from the core leadership team and not the meeting host.

Can we get AHIMA continuing education (CE) credits for our local events?

AHIMA and ACDIS do both have policies generally accepting CEs from other organizations as long as the topic of the seminar relates to that field. See item number eight on our recertification CE page, which reads:

“Submit activities from other organizations that provide education or training in CDI, ICD ‐ 10, clinical (disease or diagnosis), coding, documentation improvement activities, or diagnosis/pathophysiology. These might come from organizations such as AHIMA or AAPC, or be nursing or CME credits.”

AHIMA’s website includes the following language:

“Q: Can I use CEUs earned through organizations other than AHIMA? A: Yes, provided they qualify as valid continuing education activities and are relevant to HIIM. See page 6 of the Recertification Guide for qualifying activities for details.”

What are ACDIS requirements webinar/teleconference events related to CEs? We have difficulty conducting in-person meetings and our members prefer online/telephone discussions. Do meetings have to be in-person to qualify for CEs?

From what we’ve seen across the country, regional conferences (in-person chapter events) are best if done in-person only to encourage attendance despite the geographic restrictions. Remote/webinar/teleconference options work best for short, one-hour, educational events during difficult seasonal travel times such as winter and summer. Larger, regional events should aim to be full-day or nearly full-day experiences, with an optional meet-n-greet evening event the night prior to the conference.

If you have a guest presenter willing to do a remote program for your local chapter you may still apply for CEs through the form and process mentioned earlier.

Is there a link at ACDIS that provides all state associations contact information?

Members of our Chapter Advisory Board can be found under the membership tab on the ACDIS website. We do not have a contact list of all the local chapter leaders, however, everyone is listed on the local chapter pages for their states. Simply click on the state and that state’s leadership information will appear below the map. If you have any questions or would like an introduction to a leader from another chapter feel free to reach out to any of us on the team.

The following is a list of all the 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). 

June:

• The Kentucky ACDIS Chapter meets Thursday, June 1. For information, contact Leah Savage (Leah.Savage@nortonhealthcare.org).
• The Alabama ACDIS chapter will hold their next meeting via webinar on Friday, June 2 at 12 p.m. More information and login instructions will be sent closer to the date of the event.
• The South Carolina ACDIS Chapter meets Friday, June 9, at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center in Hartsville. For information, contact Mary Hopkins (mary.hopkins@hcahealthcare.com).
• The Central Pennsylvania ACDIS Chapter meets Friday, June 9, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at Hanover Hospital in Hanover. For more information, contact Deanne Wilk (dwilk@pennstatehealth.psu.edu).
• The Arizona ACDIS Chapter meets Saturday, June 17, at Honorhealth in Scottsdale. Chapter members should send suggestions and speaker recommendations to Chapter President Alma Yap at rnalmay@gmail.com.
• The Central Pennsylvania ACDIS chapter is tentatively planning a meeting for June 2017. For information, contact Deanne Wilk (dwilk@pennstatehealth.psu.edu). 

Save-the-date

• The North Carolina ACDIS Chapter holds its summer conference on August 25 at Wilson Memorial Hospital (Duke Lifepoint Hospital) in Wilson.
• The Florida ACDIS Chapter meets August 26, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Several speakers are already lined up for the event and a meet-n-greet time will be held at a local restaurant (place to be determined) on the Friday night prior to the event.
• The California ACDIS Chapter holds its third-annual conference Friday, September 15, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. For information, contact Rani V. Stoddard (stoddardrv@henrymayo.com).
• The Alabama ACDIS Chapter holds an all-day fall event on September 15 at Baptist Shelby in Alabaster.
• Missouri’s three ACDIS local chapters join for a full-day conference event on October 14, at the University of Kansas Hospital. For information, contact Michael McKelvey (michael.mckelvey@bjc.org).
• The North Carolina ACDIS Chapter will hold a fall conference with Carolinas Healthcare System Northeast on November 10.