Conference corner: What you missed from our inside look at the 2023 national conference webinar
Were you unable to make our webinar yesterday featuring an inside look at the 2023 ACDIS national conference? You can catch the recording here or read on for some highlights!
First, we talked about the ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI, which is back in-person for the first time since 2019! This symposium is scheduled immediately before the main national conference in Chicago, Illinois, held May 7-8, 2023. Expect an excellent keynote speaker, an engaging networking reception, and even an exhibit hall on top of the educational sessions on outpatient efforts in CDI. Early bird pricing ends March 6, so if your organization is venturing into outpatient settings, now is the time to get their support on attending this event. Also, note that you can get a 15% discount when purchased with the main conference!
Next, we covered the main education you can expect at the main conference! You can’t really choose wrong between tracks, so ACDIS Associate Editorial Director Linnea Archibald recommended taking a look through the agenda early on to know what would best benefit your organization and avoid last-second indecision. The national conference will have sessions all day for each of the following tracks:
- Clinical & Coding
- CDI Master Class
- Quality & Regulatory
- Management & Program Development
- Innovation & Expansion
In what ACDIS Editor and Product Coordinator Karla Accorto called the conference’s “bonus” track, there will also be CDI posters showcasing the talent and innovation of your fellow CDI peers, which can be viewed during any of the breaks in the main exhibit hall. To make sure everyone has time for their poster perusal, there will be a dedicated session on May 10 for poster viewing with the poster creators available for questions!
While ACDIS provides a variety of CEU opportunities for its members and for free (click here to see our list of resources!), knocking out a large portion of the CEU credits you need in a few short days is a big opportunity. During the conference, you can earn up to 13 CCDS/CCDS-O CEs and 13 NAHRI CEs through your attendance, and other CEU types will be announced soon as well!
One area of interest ACDIS Director of Programming Rebecca Hendren was very excited about this year is the conference’s networking opportunities. For instance, at the opening reception on May 8, a first-time attendee table will be set up to help newcomers connect and get all their questions answered. On May 9, we will have a dedicated networking period during lunch called “Eat, Meet, Grow,” with tables for outpatient CDI, pediatric CDI, CDI educators and second-level reviewers, and new and aspiring leaders! Then on May 10, we’ll have a “Meet Your Neighbors” lunch where state chapters, networking groups, and ACDIS committees can sit together and find new connections.
While you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and refreshment breaks in our exhibit hall, Kristine Green, MSN, RN, vice president, clinical documentation at Northwestern Memorial Healthcare, also shared during the webinar her favorite parts of the cuisine to experience in her hometown of Chicago. She calls the West Loop and Fulton Market areas of Chicago a “foodie haven.” As far as her list of must-experience food, she recommended Chicago-style pizza, hot dogs, and polish sausage, as well as the Chicago Mix of Garrett’s Popcorn, and to get a steak somewhere in the River North, Gold Coast, or Streeterville neighborhood. She also said to plan ahead and make reservations in advance!
Green’s list of outdoor adventures included the River Walk (which is steps from the ACDIS 2023 conference venue), Navy Pier, a boat cruise, Millennium Park, and baseball. If you’d like to stay indoors, she said you can’t go wrong with the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum Campus (the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium), the Theatre District, and the Second City. If you’re looking for family fun, the American Girl Store and Chicago Children’s Museum are great options.
While we had so much fun talking about the upcoming conference with you over video, we’re even more excited for this May and the opportunity to reconnect with the ACDIS community in person and flourish together!