Note from the Product Coordinator: Same face, different name! Plus, make a name for yourself at ACDIS 2024

By Karla Kozak

In the words of Taylor Swift… “It’s me. Hi!” and though my byline might look a little different this time around, it’s still me (Hi!). However, you probably know me as Karla Accorto, editor and product coordinator for ACDIS, so I wanted to briefly announce my name change.

From now on, you’ll be hearing from me as Karla Kozak (kkozak@acdis.org), as I got married earlier this month! It’s going to take some getting used to…and don’t worry if you accidently send an email to my old email address—I’ll still get those emails for a while, thanks to our wonderful IT department! 

Fresh off a tropical honeymoon, I’m the happiest (and most well-rested) I’ve ever been, and I wanted to share that with my ACDIS family. Please see below for the obligatory wedding photo. As you can imagine, I’ll be busting these out whenever the opportunity presents itself (and even when it doesn’t).

Enough about me and my name, though. Let’s talk about you. And more specifically, how you can make a name for yourself at the 2024 ACDIS national conference. The ACDIS team is currently looking for speakers for next year’s conference in Indianapolis, and I’m here to ask, “Why not you?”

In 2024, we’re looking to discover what’s on the horizon for CDI, but we can’t be successful unless CDI professionals like you are willing to share your experiences with us. Topics we’re looking to cover in 2024 include:

• Mortality
• Outpatient CDI
• Pediatric CDI
• Social determinants of health
• Patient safety indicators
• Denials
• Professional development (e.g., effective communication, giving constructive feedback, educating your staff, keeping remote teams engaged)
• And anything else you might have in mind!

Plus, being a speaker at ACDIS has its benefits:

• Free admission—ACDIS conference speakers receive free registration for the conference! Collaborate with a colleague and you can both get in free.
• Professional development opportunities—Whether it’s your first time or you’re a veteran presenter, refine your public speaking skills by stepping up to the podium.
• The chance to share your knowledge—Give back to the profession by sharing your challenges and triumphs with your peers!

Sessions are approximately one hour in length and consist of a 45-minute presentation followed by 15 minutes of Q&A. To learn more about the application process, check out this article on the ACDIS website. Or click here to submit an application.

But wait, there’s more! Not only are we looking for speakers for the 2024 national conference, we’re also looking for speakers for our events directly preceding the conference (April 7-8, 2024)—the ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI and ACDIS Physician Advisor Forum. You can submit your session for one event or all three using our easy application!

Note that there is only about a month left to apply; the application closes on July 24, 2023. Help us all discover new horizons for CDI in 2024!

Editor’s note: Kozak (formerly Accorto) is an editor and product coordinator at ACDIS in Middleton, Massachusetts. Contact her at kkozak@acdis.org.