Note from the Associate Editorial Director: The return of outpatient CDI expansion plans

by Linnea Archibald

When I started with ACDIS in January 2017, outpatient CDI was already a hot topic, a popular expansion opportunity. For the next three years, we continued to see interest in this emerging area and a growing number of CDI departments actually stepping outside their hospital walls to review outpatient records.

Of course, we all know what happened in 2020. Both our survey data and my informal conversations with ACDIS members and members of the ACDIS CDI Leadership Council indicate that most organizations put a hold on any expansion projects due to the pandemic and the associated budgetary cuts. Outpatient CDI expansion, therefore, was stunted. Everyone was still interested, but few had the resources to make their expansion dreams a reality.

It’s true that the ripples from the many waves of the pandemic are still being felt, but 2023 has begun to feel more hopeful, at least from where I’m sitting. After several years of hearing Council members remark that their budgets were cut, that their expansion projects were put on hold, that hiring was frozen, our conversations have begun to show signs of growth once again.

In a way, it feels like we’re starting over with outpatient expansion. Yes, some organizations have been in this setting for years, long before the pandemic. For the majority of our members, however, 2023 marks a time of planning, research, and excitement.

This pent-up excitement at the return of outpatient CDI expansion conversations is why we’re so excited about the ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI event returning in person this May 7-8 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The last time we had the privilege of gathering with CDI professionals who were either in the outpatient trenches or expanding into outpatient settings was in September 2019. It’s been a long three and a half years (who’s counting?) and all of us on the ACDIS team are more than ready to return.

Those interested in learning more about what it could look like for their CDI departments to step into the outpatient arena and those who are already in the outpatient trenches will find sessions geared toward their needs at this year’s Symposium. You can read all about the agenda here.

Plus, one of the biggest values of attending an in-person event is that it allows you to make personal connections with other attendees who are dealing with the same struggles you are and those who may be a little farther down the road than you. The Symposium will have plenty of time and opportunities for networking and connection building, just like our ACDIS national conference.

If you’re looking to extend your networking and education, the Symposium takes place right before the 2023 ACDIS national conference in the same hotel. We have discounts available for those wishing to attend both events and now until April 14, we’re running a throwback sale to early bird pricing. This means both the Symposium and the national conference have an additional discount of $100. If you’ve been on the fence, this is the time to book your tickets. And once you do, make sure to go ahead and book your hotel room by April 14 to take advantage of the discounted room block at the hotel.

The ACDIS team is thrilled to see you in person next month, no matter which event you attend in-person. See you in Chicago!

Editor’s note: Archibald is the associate editorial director of publications and membership for ACDIS, which is based in Middleton, Massachusetts. Contact her at larchibald@acdis.org.