Local chapter updates: Bylaw adoption provides leadership blueprint

New networking groups needn’t worry about formalizing their leadership structure or drafting bylaws governing their efforts. ACDIS often encourages those reaching out in a particular area for the first time, to keep their efforts casual, informal, and informationally focused.

As time goes by, however, local chapters should consider drafting a set of bylaws to help govern the growth of the chapter and provide a blueprint for its members regarding a host of concerns. Some items bylaws frequently address include:

• Mission and intent of the networking group
• Geographic and/or educational focus area
• Roles and responsibilities of the leadership team
• Processes and policies regarding transition of leadership teams/individuals
• Vendor/sponsorship provisions and limitations
• Transactional processes regarding any accounting or tax status obligations
• Meeting scope and frequency
• Membership information gathering and sharing
• Internal communications

Drafting such bylaws certainly requires a concerted effort and may require assistance from a vested subcommittee or ancillary team. And while ACDIS does not require local chapters to have bylaws in place, doing so can provide both the leadership and the membership a sense of ownership over their community’s efforts ensuring that everyone involved understands the essential core mission and activities of the group.

The ACDIS website includes a number of sample bylaws and the staff at ACDIS is always available to help if you have questions.

To listen to the June 29 quarterly chapter leadership call, touching on developing bylaws, click here.

The following is a list of upcoming events for ACDIS local chapters. If you have an upcoming event you would like to include, please email Melissa Varnavas (mvarnavas@acdis.org) and Linnea Archibald (larchibald@acdis.org).  

July:

• The New York-Suffolk County Long Island ACDIS Chapter holds its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, July 12, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Catholic Healthcare Services of Long Island in Melville. For information, contact Trisha Braverman (trisha.braverman@stonybrookmedicine.edu).
• The St. Louis Missouri ACDIS Chapter meets on Wednesday, July 12, 6:30-8 p.m., at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in Auditorium 1. For information, contact Michael McKelvey (michael.mckelvey@bjc.org).
• The Missouri ACDIS Chapter meets Wednesday, July 12, 11 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. central, via conference call. For information, contact Bonita Baer (baerbg@health.missouri.edu).
• The Washington Evergreen ACDIS Chapter is tentatively planning a meeting on Friday, July 21 at 11 a.m. For information, contact Lillian Dickey (Lillian.Dickey@providence.org).
• The Central Pennsylvania ACDIS Chapter meets on Friday, July 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Hanover Hospital in Hanover. For information, contact Amy Sterner (sterner@hanoverhospital.org).

August:

• The Massachusetts Chapter meets on August 11, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Crowne Plaza in Newton. The event is in collaboration with New England state AHIMA and ACDIS component organizations. To register, click here.
• The North Carolina ACDIS Chapter holds its summer conference on Friday, August 25, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Wilson Memorial Hospital (Duke Lifepoint Hospital). For information, contact Linda Rhodes (Linda.Rhodes@nhrmc.org).
• The Florida ACDIS Chapter meets Saturday, August 26, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. A meet-n-greet time will be held at a local restaurant (place to be determined) on the Friday night prior to the event. For information, contact Deb Dallos (Deb-Dallos@smh.com).

Save-the-date

• The Maine ACDIS Chapter holds its next meeting on Friday, September 8, 12-4 p.m., at Maine General Medical Center in Augusta. For information, contact Valerie Parent (vparent@emhs.org).
• The California ACDIS Chapter holds its third-annual conference Friday, September 15, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. For information, contact Rani V. Stoddard (stoddardrv@henrymayo.com).
• The Alabama ACDIS Chapter holds an all-day fall event on Friday, September 15, 8:30 a.m. to3 p.m., at Baptist Shelby in Alabaster. For information, contact Jeffrey Morris (jwmorris@health.southalabama.edu).
• Missouri’s three ACDIS local chapters join for a full-day conference event on Saturday, October 14, at the University of Kansas Hospital. For information, contact Michael McKelvey (michael.mckelvey@bjc.org).
• The Oregon ACDIS Chapter holds its fall conference on Friday, October 20, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the McMinnville Grand Ballroom in McMinnville. For information, contact Molly Siebert (msiebert@lhs.org).
• The North Carolina ACDIS Chapter holds its fall conference with Carolinas Healthcare System Northeast on Friday, November 10. For information, contact Linda Rhodes (Linda.Rhodes@nhrmc.org).
• The Maine ACDIS Chapter holds a meeting on Friday, December 1, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. For information, contact Valerie Parent (vparent@emhs.org).