• Can I earn CEUs by writing for ACDIS' publications?

    Yes! ACDIS awards CCDS/CCDS-O CEUs to authors published in two of our publications.

    First, contributors can submit articles for publication in the CDI Journal, ACDIS’ bimonthly members-only publication. Contributors published in the Journal receive 0.5 CEUs per 350 published words and articles tend to be around the 750-1,500 word mark. Each Journal edition is centered on a theme and contributors are welcome to use that theme as a jumping off point for their articles, but we always like to include some clinical and coding topics as well. All the topics and deadlines are posted in our Publications FAQ section.

    Secondly, ACDIS CDI Leadership Council members can submit articles for publication in the CDI Leadership Insider (CLI), the Council-specific publication that goes out the second Monday of the month. The articles in the CLI tend to be 750-1,000 words long and contributors receive 0.5 CEUs per 350 published words. The topics are chosen by the contributor, though if contributors would like help, they can email Associate Editorial Director, Publications & Membership, Linnea Archibald (larchibald@acdis.org) for assistance. The remaining 2022 Council term deadlines are as follows:

    • April 11, 2022 edition
      • Deadline: March 28, 2022
    • May 9, 2022 edition
      • Deadline: April 25, 2022
    • June 13, 2022 edition
      • Deadline: May 30, 2022
    • July 11, 2022 edition
      • Deadline: June 27, 2022
    • August 8, 2022 edition
      • Deadline: July 25, 2022

    And finally, while ACDIS accepts contributor articles for the ACDIS Blog and CDI Strategies, they are not awarded CEUs. These articles tend to be a bit shorter and less formal, running about 500-700 words. Articles submitted for publication on the Blog or in CDI Strategies are reviewed on a rolling basis and offer new authors a “training ground” in a less formal setting.

  • What articles represent ACDIS’ official stance, guidance, or advice on a particular question or issue?

    ACDIS is a community that welcomes idea sharing, networking, creative problem solving, and free and open speech and debate. As a result, we publish many papers, articles, news briefs, and informal commentary across our website. The question some members ask is: What articles represent ACDIS’ official stance, guidance, or advice on a particular question or issue?

    To answer this question, we have established a “Hierarchy of Authority” detailing which articles are considered official ACDIS advice or guidance, and which are not. The most authoritative “ACDIS endorsed” publications are listed first.

    1. ACDIS position papers: ACDIS position papers are the association’s official, consensus stance on an issue. ACDIS position papers set a recommended standard for the CDI industry to follow. They advocate on behalf of a certain position or offer concrete solutions for a particular problem. All current members of the ACDIS Advisory Board must review/approve a position paper and are encouraged to materially contribute to its creation. You can find ACDIS position papers here: https://acdis.org/resources?type=12

    2. ACDIS white papers: White papers are next in the ACDIS hierarchy of authority. An ACDIS white paper discusses CDI best practice, advances new ideas, increases knowledge, or offers suggestions for administrative simplification. These can be written by a single ACDIS Advisory Board member, a smaller subset of the board, or can be written by external sources (when they are, they are clearly labelled as such). White papers are less formal than a position paper but are peer-reviewed. You can find ACDIS white papers here: https://acdis.org/resources?type=14

    3. CDI Journal: Articles in our bi-monthly members-only CDI Journal are subject to editorial review and extensive editing prior to publication. But unless otherwise noted they do not represent official ACDIS recommendation or policy. ACDIS’ CDI Journal strives to use a variety of sources in its articles to ensure fair and accurate coverage. Occasionally the CDI Journal publishes opinion pieces and columns from industry experts. We strive to clearly mark these as such, and advice provided is general in nature and CDI staff should review the information to ensure compliance. While ACDIS Advisory Board members frequently write articles for CDI Journal the opinions expressed represent their own, not those of the association. You can find current and archived issues of CDI Journal here: https://acdis.org/articles/archive?publication=1

    4. CDI Strategies: Unless otherwise noted CDI Strategies articles are summations of relevant news articles, recaps of local chapter activity, notifications of articles or downloads to the ACDIS website, or Q&As with industry representatives. These are curated, edited, and uploaded by ACDIS editorial staff but not peer-reviewed. You can find an archive of CDI Strategies articles here: https://acdis.org/articles/archive?publication=2

    5. Forum posts, comments, social media, and the ACDIS Blog: Posts in ACDIS Forum, comments appended to the end of articles or on ACDIS Blog, and posts or replies to ACDIS social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, are automatically assumed to be the opinions of the person posting the comment. Inappropriate or offensive posts will be removed.

    To sum up, unless an article is a position paper, or an ACDIS white paper (i.e., a white paper written or approved by the ACDIS advisory board, not from an outside source), it is not considered official ACDIS guidance.

    General note regarding articles on this website

    Please note that ACDIS is an association of professionals governed by an elected advisory board and administrators. It is not a regulatory body. As in all matters, please refer to your manager, compliance department, and/or legal counsel before implementing changes or altering your organization’s policies and procedures.

  • I’m interested in writing for one of ACDIS’ publications. What are the guidelines?

    ACDIS accepts submissions for publication in CDI Strategies, the CDI Leadership Insider (CLI), and the CDI Journal. 

    To submit an article for Strategies, send your idea or draft to ACDIS Associate Editorial Director Linnea Archibald (larchibald@acdis.org) and Associate Editor Jess Fluegel (jfluegel@acdis.org). Strategies articles tend to be between 500-700 words long and can be focused on whatever CDI topic the author desires, provided that it follows ACDIS’ Code of Ethics and does not contradict ACDIS’ published guidance. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis and will be subject to editorial review and approval prior to publication.

    Submissions for the CDI Journal should be sent to Archibald and Fluegel. Journal articles tend to be 750-1,500 words long and tend to be a bit more formal than articles in Strategies. While the topic is left to the author, each edition of the Journal does center around a particular theme and contributors are encouraged to submit articles related to those themes. The Journal is published on a bimonthly basis. The 2023 topics and deadlines are as follows: 

    • January/February 2023: Back to basics and query practice
      • Deadline: December 1, 2022
      • Topic ideas include, but are not limited to: 
        • How to get into CDI
        • Yearly competencies for CDI
        • CDI audits
        • Developing query templates and policies
    • March/April 2023: Unconventional settings, expansion, and CDI opportunities
      • Deadline: February 1, 2023
      • Topic ideas include, but are not limited to:
        • Outpatient CDI (either hospital-based or not)
        • Home health CDI
        • Rehab CDI
        • CDI review of behavioral health
    • May/June 2023: CDI management tools
      • Deadline: April 3, 2023
      • Topic ideas include, but are not limited to:
        • How to track metrics and show success
        • Homegrown CDI tools 
        • Managing CDI on a budget
        • Leveraging technology 
    • July/August 2023: Education and engagement
      • Deadline: June 1, 2023
      • Topic ideas include, but are not limited to:
        • New and existing staff education
        • Physician onboarding and orientation 
        • Creative provider engagement 
        • CDI educator roles
    • September/October 2023: CDI and denials
      • Deadline: August 1, 2023
      • Topic ideas include, but are not limited to:
        • Appeal writing 101
        • Clinical validation 
        • CDI's role in medical necessity 
        • Proving CDI's impact on denials management
    • November/December 2023: CDI and quality
      • Deadline: October 2, 2023
      • Topic ideas include, but are not limited to:
        • Physician quality programs (e.g., MACRA and MIPS)
        • Mortality reviews
        • Population health/social determinants of health
        • Collaborating with 

    The details for submitting to the CLI can be found on the Leadership Council pages. 

    Please note that all submissions, regardless of the contributor’s intended venue, will be reviewed editorially and placed in a particular publication as ACDIS sees fit, based on topic, style, and editorial needs.

  • When does ACDIS publish articles? How can I access them?

    ACDIS publishes articles in three publications: The ACDIS Blog, CDI Strategies, and the CDI Journal.

    The Blog publishes once per week on Tuesdays. Articles on the Blog are a mix of contributed guest articles, Q&As with industry experts, book excerpts from ACDIS’ library, and ACDIS news and updates. The Blog is free and open to both ACDIS members and non-members.

    CDI Strategies is ACDIS’ free weekly eNewsletter that is sent to subscribers every Thursday. Each edition includes a note from one of the ACDIS leadership team members, several news items pertinent to the CDI profession, a Q&A with one of our Boot Camp instructors, ACDIS news, and a listing of upcoming local chapter events. Articles in CDI Strategies are free and open to both ACDIS members and non-members. Anyone can subscribe to get the newsletter straight to their email inbox by clicking here.

    The CDI Journal is ACDIS’ bimonthly members-only publication that typically includes a dozen-plus articles in more than 30 pages of industry-focused topics. Each edition includes a mix of contributed articles and case studies from the ACDIS membership, featured articles written by ACDIS staff, insight from industry experts, and more. The Journal is a benefit of ACDIS membership and is not open to non-members.

  • How do I access the CDI Journal quiz for CCDS/CCDS-O credits?

    The quizzes for the bi-monthly CDI Journal can be accessed in the article list on the CDI Journal page. We provide a link to the quiz in the "Download full edition" page for each issue as well as in the table of contents found at the beginning of each edition PDF.