Conference Update: Apply to speak at the 2017 ACDIS Conference!

Want to present at the 10^th Annual ACDIS Conference, to be held May 9-12, 2017 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV? Applications are due Monday, September 12, and can be accessed by clicking here.

We seek speakers on all aspects of clinical documentation improvement (CDI). Advanced CDI sessions geared for mature programs are particularly welcome and will receive additional consideration. CDI, HIM, and coding professionals typically present at ACDIS, but we also welcome practicing physicians, case management, and quality personnel, healthcare auditors, lawyers, and other professionals with a tie to, or an interest in, CDI. Accepted speakers and co-presenters will have their admission fee waived.

We are seeking potential speakers and panel presentations for the 2017 ACDIS conference for the following tracks and sessions:

Track 1: Clinical and coding
Proposed breakout sessions:

• Physician/clinical  sessions on pathophysiology and diagnostic criteria (clinicians welcomed)
• Coding Clinic and Official Guidelines for Coding and Reportingupdates
• Surgical procedures (CDI/coder with surgeon co-presenters welcomed), emphasis on ICD-10-PCS and root operations, complications vs. conditions inherent to the procedure
• Coding and clinical criteria of complex and/or lesser reported diagnoses (i.e., functional quadriplegia, ATN vs. AKI, hypertensive heart disease, sepsis, types of respiratory failure, encephalopathy, traumas, malnutrition, HCAP/CAP, etc.)
• Advanced chart review techniques, including interpreting subtle clinical indicators, lab values, etc.
• Dealing with unsupported diagnoses in the medical record
• Presentation of specific documentation requirements to support code assignment by diagnosis
• Presentation of complex coding (ICD-10) case studies
• Impact of ICD-10 post-implementation
• Sepsis: Management of definitions

Track 2: Management and leadership
Proposed breakout sessions:

• Metrics: Selecting metrics to measure individual CDI staff and CDI departments, analysis and interpretation of data
• Proving/presenting CDI return on investment data
• Auditing CDI staff: How to audit, how often, and follow-up/training using audit findings
• Managing CDI staff: Setting productivity expectations, rewarding high performers, managing underperforming CDI specialists
• Training and orienting CDI staff, establishing career ladders, motivating senior CDI staff, providing continuing education
• Remote CDI: Management and operational issues
• Productivity: Setting standards, monitoring performance
• Electronic health records (EHR) management: Battling note bloat and copy/paste, managing problem lists, improving EHR CDI/physician documentation functionality through working with vendors, pros/cons of computer assisted coding and natural language processing, etc.
• Engaging physicians in CDI: Initial buy-in and education, ongoing training, tips for working confidently and effectively with providers
• Managing CDI in a regional/multi-hospital system
• Principles of effective leadership and department management

Track 3: Quality and regulatory
Proposed breakout sessions:

• IPPS and CMS regulations—critical updates and what they mean for CDI professionals
• APR-DRGs/severity of illness and risk of mortality, including diagnoses that affect SOI/ROM but not reimbursement
• Reviewing for Patient Safety Indicators (PSI), PSI 90 nuances and updates
• Reviewing for Hospital Acquired Conditions, Hospital Acquired Infections, Present on Admission indicators
• Partnering with quality
• Hospital Value Based Purchasing and the role of CDI professionals
• Hospital Readmission Reduction Program
• Utilization review and CDI (2-midnight rule, medical necessity reviews, etc.)
• Bundled payment initiatives and how CDI can make an impact
• MACRA and physician payment reforms—overview and leveraging to improve physician buy-in
• Mortality/retrospective reviews, CDI involvement in mortality conferences
• Compliance initiatives and ethics in CDI
• Accountable Care Organizations and the role of CDI

Track 4: CDI Expansion
Proposed breakout sessions:

• Outpatient CDI: All aspects including case studies of successful programs, starting/implementing/staffing an outpatient CDI program, defining payment models and metrics for success, sample outpatient queries and review strategies
• Medicare Advantage/HCCs and medical record review strategies
• Next steps/growth areas for advanced CDI departments
• Incorporating core measures (i.e., CMS quality measures) into CDI review
• Physician advisor specific sessions
• Recovery Auditor and up-front denials prevention
• CDI assisting with back-end denials management/appeals
• Query escalation policies and real-world examples
• Clinical validation: Examples and process, auditor denials, as well as appeals and prevention

Track 5: Innovative CDI
Proposed breakout sessions:

• Pediatric CDI, including advanced sessions on SOI/ROM impact, outpatient pediatric CDI, pathophysiology sessions unique to pediatric patients including heart failure, acute respiratory failure, sepsis definition, etc., ongoing measurement of pediatric CDI programs, pediatric research and quality improvement projects
• CDI in maternity, pregnancy, post-partum, NICU, OB/GYN
• Challenges of available NICU codes
• Educating residents and med students in documentation
• CDI in post-acute settings, including Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) and inpatient rehab
• Inpatient psychiatry
• CDI in critical access hospitals
• CDI in the physician office setting
• Development of specialized CDI roles
• CDI and concurrent coding
• Healthgrades, Leapfrog, Hospital Compare, etc.—a review of publically available rankings/scorecards and how CDI can use them to promote physician buy-in
• Next level of CDI metrics beyond CMI and CC/MCC capture
• Presentation of CDI research projects or findings

If you don't see your hot topic listed here, please write and let us know what expertise you can bring to the podium. Original ideas are welcome. Although we are looking for advanced level sessions, the ACDIS conference includes basic, intermediate, and advanced sessions to accommodate attendees at all levels. Please find your topic and level of choice and apply!

Click here to view and complete the speaker application. All final decisions will be made by the 2017 ACDIS conference committee and applicants will be notified of their decision in late October/early November.