Note from the Director of Programming: Cure your FOMO with virtual education and everyday connection

by Rebecca Hendren

Back in October 2021, I was having major FOMO, as the kids these days like to say. Or maybe have already stopped saying, but I’m too out of touch to know. FOMO stands for fear of missing out, and that’s how I felt in October 2021 when I was unable to attend the in-person ACDIS conference. I was sad to miss the opportunity for education and the feeling of community.

I know a lot of you felt this way when the 2022 ACDIS conference happened last month. I was fortunate to be able to attend this year, but we know that budget restrictions, travel bans, and the ongoing pandemic made it hard for many to even think about heading to an in-person conference.

To overcome this, we’ve experimented with different options over the past couple of years of the pandemic. Our mission is to bring quality CDI education and resources to everyone, and live events are a big part of that. As the pandemic halted or adjusted our in-person options, we tried out different virtual formats in an effort to continue providing education on a broad variety of topics.

For 2022, I’m pleased to report we’re trying out another option, which was to do some live recording while we were at the conference so we could capture those sessions in real time. We chose the Clinical & Coding track, as it’s the most popular every year and the one that features the broadest option of core clinical and coding components vital to all those engaged in ongoing medical record reviews.

The virtual education event will be from Tuesday, August 9 through Thursday, August 11, and features recordings of these great sessions, including others:

• Coding Clinic & Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting Updates
• COUGH to Determine a Gram-Negative Pneumonia
• Why All the Confusion? The Fallacy of ICU Delirium
• Sepsis Coding and Documentation Perspectives
• COVID-19: Clinical Manifestations

However, the August virtual event is not the only cure for your FOMO. You can find networking and connection any day of the week on the ACDIS website, including through the Forum, the biweekly podcast, and the member Quarterly Conference Calls. Or check out what your local state chapter or networking group is up to.

Another wonderful way to create connection is through our industry’s week of recognition and celebration: CDI Week. Hard to believe, but that will be occurring in only three months. This year’s theme is “Under the Sea-DI” and the opportunities for ocean puns and fish decorations are endless. I can’t wait to hear all the different ways everyone celebrates.

Editor’s note: Hendren is the director of programming for ACDIS, which is based in Middleton, Massachusetts. Contact her at rhendren@acdis.org.