Avenues of learning expand CDI horizons

The 2012 ACDIS ­conference in San Diego not only renewed my energy and passion for CDI; the experience validated and ­supported many ideas stirring in my head and offered so many new ones, that I have been trying to find a way to organize and prioritize it all. Invigoration should equal application.

I come from a four-year-old program in a large hospital system. While we have been very successful, it’s time to dust it off, turn it up a notch and push the limits of what we can do.

 

There were five tracks altogether this year, emphasizing everything from targeted clinical areas to ICD-10, ­compliance, CDI management, new initiatives, and quality concerns. The biggest challenge I encountered each day, was making a decision on what to attend, the offerings were all so relevant and timely to what we face each day.

 

The keynote speaker, Janet Lapp, was amazing. She sincerely motivated and inspired us to “let it [the negative] go” and always move forward to accept and take-on change and process improvement with great intention, which is what CDI is all about.

 

In my organization, we maintain a very strong quality focus and consistently look for opportunities to align our efforts as much as possible to the overall goals and initiatives set forth by our quality experts. One of the conference tracks offered this year, focused solely on CDI and the positive force we can be in meeting an organization’s quality outcomes. While the immediate reimbursement benefits of CDI can be very impressive, the long-term quality gains are what sustain a program and connect us to the organizational mission and vision, which is always providing quality patient care.

 

During the 2012 ACDIS conference, there was a presentation by Holly Flynn, RN, CCRN, of University of Washington Medical Center, dedicated to CDI partnerships with medical staff and HIM that followed one medical center’s journey to unite with the bigger picture to directly influence patient care. The speaker was poised and informative and I identified clearly with her attempt to gain buy in for CDI growth and initiatives, pushing an idea that ­embraces durable and sustainable goals by recognizing the possibilities and taking risks.

 

Then there was a presentation by researcher/sociologist, Gary David, PhD who devoted his time and livelihood to studying CDI specialists as individual healthcare professionals in the workplace. As a CDI manager interested in finding the right people for the role and committed to eliminating the many barriers we face in this ever evolving discipline I wanted to stand-up and shout “Amen!” (Somehow, however, I showed some restraint.) David is continuing his research and I cannot wait to hear more at successive conferences if given the chance.

 

The poster presentations this year were detailed and innovative. Our CDI colleagues are doing great things, making lasting contributions to our industry and it shows. I eagerly took home a copy of the handouts tied to each presentation, scanned and sent these out to staff as soon as I returned so they could help me see what opportunities we have and/or lessons we can learn.

 

No conference commentary would be complete without mentioning the awesome accommodations, scenery, and people. The opportunity to casually converse and share knowledge with CDI professionals from around the nation was the highlight of my trip. If you took advantage of the dinner cruise, sponsored by CDI Search Group, Thursday evening, then you really got to enjoy the sights and sounds of San Diego up close and personal. For this North Carolina native, it was somewhat cold, but nobody cared we were having so much fun and enjoying fellowship, joined by our common thread.

 

Networking is so important to be successful in this field. When I entered the CDI profession, four years ago, after a good many years already spent in healthcare, I was dumbfounded by all there is to learn. I cautiously and ­incrementally climbed to the plateau of a perceived mountain of knowledge, only to realize that the mountain is insurmountable on my own… it is only through the dialogue and information exchange with colleagues, that I have even begun to skim the surface in this exciting realm of healthcare and clinical expertise.

 

If you have not attended the ACDIS conference in the past I strongly urge you to make it a priority. There is no other way to completely immerse yourself in CDI education brainstorming with colleagues and renewing your energy for the tough road ahead.