2018 ACDIS Conference Special Section

The conference is by far our most hectic and stressful time of year, but it’s the best and most rewarding, too. While the conference involves a ton of effort, it’s also a massive battery recharge, a jolt to the system that makes you realize how lucky you are to be part of the great profession of healthcare.At the conference, our ACDIS Advisory Board completed a daylong strategy session in which we identified several areas where we will continue to drive the profession forward. I look forward to working on these initiatives over the coming year.

As we all know, chart reviews are far more complex than 11 years ago. A profession that once sought only to maximize revenue through CC and MCC capture is now clarifying all elements that impact quality, patient safety, and risk. Mortality reviews, Patient Safety Indicators, and hospital-acquired conditions are all part of the day-to-day efforts of CDI professionals. But underneath the regulations and the software are the beating hearts of real people working hard every day in a profession they love. That point was driven home to me once again in San Antonio.

There has never been a greater demand for CDI professionals possessed of critical thinking skills, clinical smarts, and a willingness to learn and to change with regulatory demands and the shifting nature of healthcare. I want to thank all of you for taking this journey with us over the last 11 years.

Please enjoy this special recap of our 11th annual ACDIS Conference in this one-of-a-kind highlight report featuring:

• p. 6: ACDIS Achievement Awards recognize CDI excellence: 2018’s awards recognize several individuals, new and veteran alike, who exemplify the qualities of great CDI professionals.
• p. 9: 9 Conference Committee shares their experiences: ACDIS’ volunteer committee does it all—from speaker selection to choosing our award winners. ACDIS Editor Linnea Archibald caught up with a few committee members to talk about why they serve and what they love about ACDIS.
• p. 11: Keynotes reflect on healthcare, offer glimpses of the future: Conference keynote speakers Joe Flower, David Nilasena, and Allison Massari discussed key attributes of healthcare both today and in the days to come: integration, sharing, and compassion.
• p. 13: Speakers’ perspectives: The 2018 conference sessions offered countless insights and takeaways. We asked a few speakers before the conference to share their wisdom of what CDI should be.
• p. 16: Poster sessions offer one-on-one experiential education: Nearly 40 presentations provided attendees with stories of how CDI programs across the country are tackling trending topics at the forefront of the profession.
• p. 18 ACDIS local chapters show networking love: Local chapter leaders from around the country organized fun and energetic networking opportunities for conference attendees.
• p. 24 Sponsor support: The exhibit hall was bustling with dozens of vendors and multitudinous networking opportunities throughout the conference.