Note from the ACDIS Editor: Celebrating CDI continuing education

by Linnea Archibald

ACDIS’ first-ever CDI Scholarship Program application period closed on December 31, 2019, with 110 applications. The program development, however, began much earlier. It launched in September 2019 after years of behind the scenes discussion and development. Before opening the application period, the ACDIS administrative team met, reviewed examples of scholarship programs from other organizations, discussed award criteria, and more.

Then, in June 2019, we reached out to nine dedicated CDI professionals and asked them to serve as the inaugural ACDIS CDI Scholarship Committee, responsible for scholarship development, applicant reviews, and eventually selecting the first-ever scholarship recipients. These individuals have worked tirelessly to ensure the integrity of the scholarship program and they have spent long hours reviewing the many qualified candidates for the 2019/2020 awards. Please take a moment to thank them:

• Johanne "Jo" Brautigam, BSN, RN, CCDS, CDI manager at Roper St. Francis Healthcare in Charleston, South Carolina
• Judy Cassetty, BSN, RN, CCDS, manager of CDI and quality auditors/interim CDI educator at Providence St. Joseph Health System in Irvine, California
• Deb Dallos, RN, CDI program supervisor at Sarasota (Florida) Memorial Hospital
• Teresa Downie, RN, CCDS, CDI specialist/care manager at TSN Nurse Consulting in Vidalia, Georgia
• Julian Everett, BSN, RN, CDIP, CDI specialist at Orlando (Florida) Health
• Erin Head, MBA, RHIA, CHDA, CHRS-TR, director of HIM and medical staff services at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville, Florida
• Linda Jackson, RHIT, director of HIM at Arkansas State Hospital in Little Rock
• Molly Siebert, RHIA, CCDS, CDI specialist at Legacy Health System in Portland, Oregon
• Elisa Sninchak, M.Ed, BSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, clinical documentation excellence educator at Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina

Not only has working with the committee and launching this program been a personal highlight, but seeing the enthusiasm scholarship applicants have for the CDI profession has been truly inspiring. Each round of applicant reviews was harder than the last as we narrowed the finalist pool down to just three individuals to receive the awards.

The scholarship recipients represent the best and brightest in the CDI industry, providing a glimpse into the promising future of the profession. They hail from different professional backgrounds, organization sizes, geographic locations, and levels of experience. I want to take a moment to recognize them here and share some of the committees’ comments about these deserving folks.

ACDIS membership, enrollment in the CDI Apprenticeship

Cristy Bates, BSN, RN, CNOR, is a brand-new CDI professional who’s passionate about the profession and excited for her CDI career. After more than 40 years in the nursing profession, she was excited to step into a new field and use her clinical expertise in a new way.

“Nearing my fortieth year in full-time hospital nursing, it is actually fun again and exciting to experience another side of nursing,” she wrote in her application. “I know that what I do can make a difference in the care the patient receives.”

The Committee was particularly impressed with Bates’ willingness and enthusiasm to change directions after establishing a career in another field. They hope that this scholarship will give her the knowledge boost she needs to take her CDI career to the next level and share her expertise with those around her.

Please join us in congratulating Cristy!

Registration to an online ACDIS Boot Camp

Catherine Chambers, RN, CCDS, CPC, has been a CDI professional for a few years but is now embarking on a brand-new adventure: starting an outpatient CDI program at her organization. For her scholarship award, she has selected the brand-new online CDI for Outpatient Boot Camp, which will give her all the basics she needs to expand her program and lead her team. 

“I want to be sure that I construct a program that is compliant and reflects high quality documentation,” Chambers wrote in her application. “This education will allow me to mentor CDI specialists in the outpatient CDI field.”

The Committee felt that Chambers will be an excellent advocate for the CDI profession and a strong voice for CDI’s expansion into non-inpatient healthcare arenas. They hope that this scholarship will give her the educational backing she needs to mentor her future outpatient CDI team and extend the profession’s influence.

Please join us in congratulating Catherine!

ACDIS Registration to the 2020 ACDIS Conference, travel expenses provided by the generous support of our sponsor, Nuance

While Kyle Boyd, LPN, is new to the CDI profession, he has already made strides in his department and is enthusiastic about advancing the profession as a whole. After roughly six years as a bedside nurse, Boyd decided to step into a CDI role, allowing him to use his clinical knowledge and leverage his love of data for the betterment of his organization and their patients.

“As a nurse, I provided healthcare, but I really feel like I’m helping to improve healthcare whenever I help physicians improve the efficiency and specificity of their documentation,” he wrote in his application. “I’m incredibly excited about the future of CDI and how we can influence the way healthcare documentation and data are used.”

The Committee felt that Boyd is a true “rising star” in the CDI profession and was impressed by his excitement for CDI and for his desire to bring the education from the conference back to his CDI team so they can benefit from the award as well. The Committee hopes that this scholarship will provide Boyd with the tools necessary to grow in his professional journey and become an advocate for the profession.

Please join us in congratulating Kyle!

Each of these candidates is an exemplary CDI professional. The Committee members and the ACDIS administrative team is so excited to see where their careers take them!

Editor’s note: Archibald is the editor for ACDIS. Contact her at larchibald@acdis.org.