Local chapter update: Biannual and annual meeting advice

Local chapters can hold meetings in whatever format works best for them. ACDIS recommends meeting a least quarterly to maintain momentum, relationships, and informational efforts. For some chapters, however, monthly, bi-annual, and annual meetings work better.

Over the past two weeks, we’ve shared tips for chapters holding monthly and quarterly meetings. This week, let’s take a look at biannual and annual meetings.

Biannual meetings

Biannual meetings are usually longer than quarterly or monthly meetings and may work well from a planning and budgeting perspective. These meetings should include longer stretches of networking and free time for CDI specialists to connect and learn from each other.

An agenda for a biannual meeting may look something like this:

• 20 minutes: Light refreshments and check-in/registration
• 50 minutes: Introduction of chapter leadership, hosting facility dignitaries, vendor participants (if warranted), and meeting attendees
• 20 minutes: Mid-morning break
• 1 hour: First educational session
• 1 hour: Second educational session
• 1.5 hours: Lunch break
• 20 minutes: Round table discussion of member-initiated topics (membership should contribute discussion suggestions prior to the meeting)
• 10 minutes: Break
• 1 hour: Third educational session
• 30 minutes: Chapter business/outstanding issues
• 30 minutes: Meeting wrap-up/departure

Annual meetings

Annual meetings usually require a full-day of educational and networking opportunities. Typically, the agenda follows that of a biannual meeting although there may be an increased opportunity for vendor involvement and additional educational sessions.

Annual meetings may also lend themselves to more regional networking opportunities such as those states with multiple networking groups or multiple states holding a joint meeting.

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).

April:

• The Heart of Missouri ACDIS chapter meets Thursday, April 5, 6-8 p.m., at Nuance in Columbia. For information, contact Karen Elmore (kelmore@bjc.org).
• The Washington Evergreen and Oregon ACDIS chapters meet for a joint meeting Friday, April 6, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at PeaceHealth in Vancouver. Please register by March 15. For information, contact the Evergreen chapter leadership team (evergreenACDIS@gmail.com) or Linda Dawson (linda.dawson@providence.org).
• The Central Pennsylvania ACDIS chapter meets Friday, April 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Lancaster General Hospital offsite. For information, contact Deanne Wilk (dwilk@pennstatehealth.psu.edu).
• The Florida ACDIS chapter meets Saturday, April 7, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Cape Coral Hospital in Cape Coral. Agenda details to follow. For information, contact Deb Dallos (deb-dallos@smh.com).
• The Westchester/Hudson Valley ACDIS chapter meets on Thursday, April 12, 2-4 p.m., at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, in the Centennial Room. Click here to download the event flyer. For information, contact Kerry Seekircher (kseekircher@northwell.edu).
• The Wisconsin ACDIS chapter meets Saturday, April 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Wheaton Franciscan Medical Building Conference Center in Milwaukee. Lunch will be served. For information, contact Diane Draize (diane.draize@ascension.org).
• The Central New York chapter meets Thursday, April 19, 1-3 p.m., at St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, featuring a discussion on new types of myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation by Gregory Kenien, MD, physician champion for St. Joseph’s. RSVP by April 13 to Jennifer.Walts@sjhsyr.org.
• The Maryland ACDIS chapter meets on Friday, April 20, 12-2 p.m., at the Maryland Hospital Association in Elkridge. For information, contact Candace Blankenship (evalani3@msn.com).
• The Indiana ACDIS chapter meets Saturday, April 21, 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. Click here to download the agenda. Click here to download the registration form. For information, contact Leigh Wolff (lwolff@beaconhealthsystem.org).
• The Michigan ACDIS chapter meets on Wednesday, April 25, 12-1 p.m., via webinar. The topic will be clinical validation. For information, contact Susan Fantin (susan.fantin@comcast.net).
• The Colorado ACDIS chapter meets Thursday, April 26, 3-7 p.m., at Centura Corporate Headquarters in Centennial. For information, contact Diane Kohler (dianekohler@centura.org).
• The CDI Educator ACDIS networking group meets on Friday, April 27, 12-1 p.m. PST, via webinar to discuss the topic of auditing your CDI program. Click here to download the save-the-date flyer. For information, contact M.E. VanGelder (me.vangelder@honorhealth.com).

May:

• The Suffolk County Long Island ACDIS chapter meets Friday, May 4, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook. Please RSVP by April 27. To RSVP and for information, contact scacdis@gmail.com.

June:

• The South Carolina ACDIS chapter tentatively plans to meet Friday, June 8, at MUSC in Charleston. For information, contact Mary Hopkins (mary.hopkins@hcahealthcare.com).
• The Massachusetts ACDIS chapter meets Thursday, June 21, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Agenda to follow. For information, contact Lara Faustino (lara.faustino@bmc.org).

Save-the-date:

• The North Carolina ACDIS chapter meets Friday, August 24, for their summer conference at Mission Health in Asheville. More details to follow. For information, contact the leadership team (ncacdis@gmail.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) or 314-344-6286.