Local Chapter Update: Washington ‘Evergreen’ chapter takes steps to live up to its moniker

When CDI professionals from the state of Washington first started meeting, the half dozen or so participants headed to a nearby restaurant (the now closed Zoopa Organics) to share their stories and a meal. That was in 2009.

In 2014, the group of 20 or so, gathered in Capital Medical Center in Olympia for a collection of educational events including ICD-10-CM/PCS information and sessions on the theme of “add some spice to your CDI career.” Meeting host Susan Browne even supplied small herbal garden starter kits as the table centerpieces and also made “CDI Survival Kit” gift bags which included everything from Hershey kisses (to remind attendees that everyone needs a hug, kiss, or word of encouragement every day) and Lifesavers (to remind participants to think of their peers as “life savers”).

Browne, with assistance from Skagit Valley, Multicare, and other facilities helped keep the group going through 2015. “There were multiple hospitals who kept the momentum going,” Browne says. “It was certainly a team effort.”

This past month, she happily announced that nearly 50 participants joined her in Olympia on July 6 (during a holiday week no less). During the meeting, Browne asked for new volunteers to help provide leadership to the chapter and half a dozen individuals stepped forward. The group includes Barbara Anderson, Lillian Dickey, Nora Tiffany, as well as volunteers Andrea Dyson, Mo Brogoitti, Martha Khayyat, Lorri Sides, and Satyananda Vuddagiri.

The new team met in July to talk over various leadership expectations and ideas for keeping the chapter members invested in the organization. They also met earlier this week to review their plans for the overall chapter and for its upcoming meeting Thursday, October 6, 10 a.m., at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle.

A lot of behind-the-scenes effort and dedication to the profession goes into organizing meetings. So ACDIS is grateful to these new tremendous volunteers. We’re looking forward to hearing about all the exciting educational and networking efforts emerging from the “Evergreen.”

August

• The Georgia ACDIS Chapter meets Friday, August 12, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton. For information, contact julieltbell@gmail.com.
• The Indiana and Kentucky ACDIS Chapters join for a regional event Friday, August 19, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Louisville (Kentucky) Marriott East. Click here to read the complete agenda.  Deadline for registration was August 5. Participants may visit the local chapter pages of the ACDIS website to download the materials. For information, contact Rita Fields at rita.fields@BHSI.COM.
• The Utah ACDIS Chapter meets Wednesday, August 17, at the University of Utah for a discussion with Russell Vinik, MD, Medical Director for CDI at the facility. For information, contact Molly Evans atMolly.Evans@hsc.utah.edu.
• The New Jersey networking group meets on Friday, August 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Centrastate Medical Center in Freehold. Glenn Krauss, director of enterprise solutions at ZiRMED will present “CDI- Achieving the Potential.” To register, click here. For additional information, email Deborah Gardner-Brown at deborah@rra-inc.com.
• The California ACDIS Chapter meets August 24, 9 a.m., via webinar, to discuss “Leveraging the physician value based payment modifier,” with Richard Pinson, MD, and Cynthia Tang. For information, contact Shiloh Williams at Shiloh.Williams@ecrmc.org.

September

• The Connecticut ACDIS Chapter meets Thursday, September 8, 1:30-3 p.m., at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain. For information, contact Janet Richardson at Janet.richardson@baystatehealth.org.
• The South Carolina ACDIS Chapter meets Friday, September 16, at Providence Hospital in Columbia. For information, contact Mary Hopkins at Mary.Hopkins@hcahealthcare.com.
• The Maryland ACDIS Chapter meets Friday, September 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Maryland Hospital Association. Registration is nearing capacity. For additional information, email Olga Firstbrook at ofirstbrook@cua.md.     
• The Tennessee ACDIS Chapter joins THIMA, and the Tennessee Hospital Association for a CDI summit on Thursday, September 22, at the THA offices in Nashville. For information, contact Sherri Clark SClark@mc.utmck.edu.
• The Pediatric ACDIS networking group meets via webinar on Thursday, September 22, at 3 p.m., eastern. To join, email Valerie Bica at vbica@nemours.org.
• The Maine ACDIS Chapter meets Friday, September 23, at Eastern Maine Medical Center, noon to 4 p.m. For information, email Cathy.Seluke@mainegeneral.org.
• The ACDIS NW Oregon Chapter meets bi-annually. The next meeting will take place on September 30 in Medford. For information, contact Karen Gray at Karen.Gray@salemhealth.org.

Save the date: October

• Three Missouri ACDIS chapters join together for their first state-wide full-day event on Saturday, October 15, at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia. For information, contact Karen Elmore atkelmore@bjc.org.