ACDIS anniversary: Celebrating 15 years of community
by Rebecca Hendren
October 1 marked the 15th anniversary of the MS-DRG system and the creation of the Association of Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialists. It didn’t take long for our association to be known only by its acronym ACDIS and it was an equally short time for the fledgling association to find its wings.
ACDIS was born because CDI did not have a home of its own. Over the next 15 years, ACDIS staff and CDI professionals from all backgrounds came together to create rules of practice, guiding documents, templates, and all manner of resources, while simultaneously building a welcoming home and a network for all to come together to connect and learn.
My friend and colleague Melissa Varnavas penned a story for the 10th anniversary that resonates as strongly today as it did five years ago. “What makes ACDIS special?” she asked. It’s a good read, so we’ve republished it for the 15th anniversary, and you can read it here.
What makes ACDIS special is largely a result of the spirit of service that is so strong in the CDI profession and that has led thousands of volunteers over the years to be involved in their association to drive it forward. Led by Brian Murphy as director and Melissa Varnavas as its main writer for most of the past 15 years, ACDIS grew faster than anyone imagined. And it was the enthusiastic involvement of our members who drove everything and who volunteered their time to make the CDI world better.
This spirit of service to others has been a key part of ACDIS from the beginning and will be as we head into our next 15 years. We’re preparing for our 15th national conference next May and want to recognize that spirit of service with a new ACDIS Achievement Award dedicated to a professional who has volunteered their time and given back to their community. This award will be named after Melissa, whose spirit of service imbued ACDIS with so much over the years, including the creation and nurturing of local chapters and networking groups around the country, which she devoted herself to supporting. Stay tuned for more details on that award as we get closer to the conference.
Melissa ended her article with these uplifting words: “You are ACDIS, and you are amazing. You are what makes this organization strong, unique, and special. Thank you for these past 10 years.”
And so, I say thank you for these past 15 years and let’s continue our journey together.
Editor’s note: Hendren is the director of programming for ACDIS. Contact her at rhendren@acdis.org.