Local chapter update: Expand your reach and use the virtual meeting guide in the Local Chapter Toolkit!

Meeting in the post-COVID landscape can be very difficult. However, if you are still looking to maintain your local presence while making ACDIS meetings as accessible as possible, ACDIS has got you covered.

Try these tips and recommendations from our Local Chapter Leadership Toolkit for hosting virtual meetings:

• Typically, ACDIS recommends chapters host in-person events on a quarterly basis. However, with summer vacations and winter-weather travel restrictions, local chapters may opt to conduct two remote and two in-person events.
• Do not attempt to include a remote option for an in-person event. Doing so doubles the work for the volunteer leadership team and disincentivizes attendees from making the commitment to attend in person.
• Consider trimming the agenda to an hour-and-a-half. People have limited attention spans and may get more from shorter sessions. 
• Consider including two, short, half-hour sessions on tangential topics such as physician engagement and CDI metrics related to physician response. Changing speakers at the half-hour mark provides a visual cue to the attendees that some new information is coming their way.
• Include a panel discussion and identify individuals with interesting stories to share ahead of time.

Interested in learning more about facilitating meetings online?

Click here for more information.

The following is a list of upcoming events for ACDIS local chapters. Visit your local chapter’s webpage on the ACDIS site for additional information about upcoming meetings. To join a chapter if you haven’t already or to update your chapter contact information/affiliation, click here.

October:

• The South Carolina ACDIS chapter is offering an on-demand webinar available from October 1 to December 31, 2023. The program is titled, “Social Determinants of Health - Quality of Care Implications,” and will be presented by Donicia Lee, RN, BSN, CCDS, CCS. For information, contact Amy Truitt (amytruitt@hcahealthcare.com).
• The Central Pennsylvania ACDIS chapter meets Friday, October 13, 2023, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., via webinar, for their fourth quarterly meeting. For more information, contact Courtney Spangler (cspangler4@wellspan.org).
• The Maine ACDIS chapter meets Friday, October 13, 2023, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., via webinar, for their ninth annual collaboration with MaHIMA and NYHIMA. For information, contact Elisa Pelchat (efpelchat@mahima.org).
• The Illinois ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 12–1 p.m., via webinar. The program is titled, "2024 Final Rule from CMS," and will be presented by Maralee Gray, BSN, RN, CCDS. For more information, contact Jeneth Esquivel-Salinas (jeneth.esquivel-salinas@eehealth.org).
• The Minnesota ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, October 25, 2023, 1–2 p.m., via webinar. The program is titled, “Payer Denials and Appeals,” and will be presented by Karla Hiravi, BSN, RN, and Denise Wilson, MS, RN, RRT. For information, contact AnneMarie Vannurden (vannurdena@centracare.com).
• The Wisconsin ACDIS chapter meets Thursday, October 26, 2023, 1–3:30 p.m., via webinar. For information, contact Alicia Whiteford (awhiteford@mhemail.org).

November:

• The Kansas City, Missouri ACDIS chapter meets Wednesday, November 8, 2023, 2–3 p.m., via webinar. The program is titled, “CDI Mortality Reviews: It’s a Matter of Life or Death,” and will be presented by Donisia Lee, RN, BSN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS. For information, contact Debra Canova (debra.canova@uhkc.org).
• The Arizona ACDIS chapter meets Friday, November 10, 2023, 12–1:15 p.m., via webinar. The program is titled, “COUGH to Determine a Gram-Negative Pneumonia,” and will be presented by Adriana Cecchini, MSN, RN, CIC. For information, contact Denice Piwowar (denice.piwowar@bannerhealth.com).
• The CDI Educators ACDIS networking group meets Friday, November 10, 2023, 1–2 p.m., via webinar. For information, contact Danielle Martin (dmartin@mercy.com).
• The Maryland ACDIS chapter meets Friday, November 17, 2023, 12–1 p.m., via webinar. The program will be presented by Ahmed Abuabdou, MBBS, MBA. For information, contact Jennifer Murphy (jmurphy1@umm.edu).

December:

• The Georgia ACDIS chapter meets Friday, December 1, 2023, at 9 a.m., via webinar for its fourth quarterly meeting. For information, contact Paula Rector (pcrector@outlook.com)
• The Florida ACDIS chapter meets Saturday, December 9, 2023, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Broward Health Medical Center. For information, contact Edna I Betances Harold (betane@shands.ufl.edu)