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ACDIS RETROSPECTIVECelebrating 10 Years of Bringing theCDI Community SpecialistsSpecialistspublicationpublication www.acdis.orgwww.acdis.organ
CONTENTSFEATURES4 Director’s NoteACDIS Director Brian Murphy looks back over10 years of ACDIS and ruminates about theCDI profession, ACDIS’ success, the currenthealthcare landscape, and the future of CDI.6 All about ACDIS: Providing networking andeducation tools that CDI needsACDIS is the premier association for clinicaldocumentation specialists, providing a mediumfor education, professional growth, programrecognition, and networking. This articleprovides an inside look at ACDIS’ leadershipteam, its various boards and committees, and itsmany offerings to the CDI community.ACDIS TURNS 1010 Associate Director’s NoteACDIS’ membership could be its own city—nota large one, but a community nonetheless.Associate Editorial Director Melissa Varnavasunpacks all the ways in which ACDIS hasfostered a CDI community over the last 10years and expresses her admiration of the CDIprofessionals she’s met over the decade.12 ACDIS through the yearsThe final pages of the 10th anniversary specialreport show what ACDIS is all about: themembers. The ACDIS team has compiledphotographs from the last 10 years ofconferences and CDI Weeks and compiled theminto a photo timeline of sorts showing the growthand excitement in the CDI profession.8 ACDIS timelineRelive the milestones of ACDIS’ history in thisvisual timeline, from ACDIS’ founding and theMS-DRG implementation in October 2007, to thebeginning of the Certified Clinical DocumentationSpecialist credential in May 2009, to thebeginnings of CDI Week in September 2011,to ACDIS’ first outpatient-focused educationalevent, to the 10th anniversary celebration.Tamara A. HicksRN, BSN, MHA, CCS,CCDS, ACMFor permission to reproduce part or all of this newsletter for externaldistribution or use in educational packets, please contact the CopyrightClearance Center at www.copyright.com or 978-750-8400.CDI Journal (ISSN: 1098-0571) is published bimonthly by HCPro, 35Village Road, Suite 200, Middleton, MA 01949. Subscription rate: 165/year for membership to the Association of Clinical DocumentationImprovement Specialists. Copyright 2017 HCPro, a division ofBLR. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Except where specificallyencouraged, no part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form orby any means, without prior written consent of HCPro or the CopyrightClearance Center at 978-750-8400. Please notify us immediately ifyou have received an unauthorized copy. For editorial comments orquestions, call 781-639-1872 or fax 781-639-7857. For renewal orsubscription information, call customer service at 800-650-6787, fax800-639-8511, or email customerservice@hcpro.com. Visit our websiteat www.acdis.org. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list availableto selected companies/vendors. If you do not wish to be included on thismailing list, please write to the marketing department at the addressabove. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of CDI Journal.Mention of products and services does not constitute endorsement.Advice given is general, and readers should consult professional counselfor specific legal, ethical, or clinical questions.“For me, the most valuable thing about ACDIS is the network ofprofessionals who get CDI. I have been in this business for 18 years,and in the beginning, there were very few others who even knew whatCDI was. It has been an honor to meet so many who understand whatwe do and are as passionate about this work as I am.”3 ACDIS TURNS 10 2017 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR.
DIRECTOR’S NOTEpediatric facilities, freestanding hospital clinics, and physician practices. This trend is going to continue.DIRECTOR’S NOTEThankful for 10 memorable yearsby Brian D. MurphyMore than 10 years ago, itstarted with a simple observation.Nurses and HIM/coding professionals were being used to reviewhealth records and clarify documentation with physicians, in realtime, while the patients were stillin-house.It didn’t take long to figure outthe importance of this new profession. But as vital as it was, itlacked structured job descriptions, core competencies, andstandards of practice. Heck, thisprofession even lacked a name.“Documentation assurance,”“CDS,” “CDMP,” and “concurrentDRG specialist” were all beingthrown around as titles for thisnew role. But “CDI” kept rising tothe top, so we rolled with it.We also realized, through manyconversations and surveys, thatwhat CDI specialists wanted mostwas their own resources, theirown conference, and an opportunity to network with and getto know other colleagues. Theyweren’t just an offshoot of HIM,or case management, or nursing.They were their own profession,and in short, they needed a homeof their own. So we built one—andACDIS was born.4 ACDIS TURNS 10 2017I believe, more strongly thanever, in the limitless potential ofthe CDI profession.Healthcare reimbursement isgrowing more complex by theday. Where it was once enoughto solidify a principal diagnosisand capture a single comorbidity, today MS-DRGs, APR-DRGs,and Hierarchical Condition Categories mean that every comorbid condition a patient has canplay a role in portraying accurateseverity of illness—and accuratereimbursement.I also believe, more strongly thanever, that CDI is about much morethan the money. Don’t let anyonetell you otherwise.Today’s hospitals are beingmeasured by star ratings, andpatients are making informedchoices about where to get theirknee or hip replacement. Whocan help hospital and physicianpublic profiles improve? That’sright, a CDI specialist can.Finally, I believe that we are justscratching the surface of the settings into which CDI can expand.We are already seeing CDI specialists move outside the walls oftraditional short-term acute carehospitals, and beyond Medicarepatients, to long-term acute carefacilities, critical access hospitals,EDITORIALDirector Brian Murphybmurphy@acdis.orgAssociate Director, Membership andProduct DevelopmentRebecca Hendrenrhendren@acdis.orgAssociate Editorial Director Melissa Varnavasmvarnavas@acdis.orgMembership Services SpecialistPenny Richards, CPCprichards@acdis.orgEditorLinnea Archibaldlarchibald@acdis.orgAssociate Director for EducationLaurie L. Prescott, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIPlprescott@hcpro.comDirector of Sales and SponsorshipsCarrie Drycdry@hcpro.comCopyeditorAdam Carrollacarroll@hcpro.comACDIS is proud to have become the nation’s sourceof cutting-edge information, training, and networkingfor the CDI profession. Over the last 10 years, we haveplanned and run 10 national conferences, hosted some40 quarterly conference calls, and published more than50 issues of the CDI Journal. We provide thoughtfulnetworking exchanges for CDI leaders. We work withauthors to publish books and create apps like the CDIPocket Guide. We’ve developed a code of ethics for theprofession, and wrote a practice brief in conjunction withAHIMA that has become the national standard for compliant physician query practice. We have established aweek of recognition for CDI, and a national certificationthat is now widely preferred or required by hospitalsacross the nation as a standard of competence. Witha great staff of instructors whom I’m proud to workalongside, we teach boot camps across the countryand deliver our training in webcasts and online learningcourses.ACDIS could not have gotten off the ground without adedicated group of volunteers to give it direction andshape. Over the years, it has been their voices that haveserved as expertise and encouragement for us, theassociation’s administrators, as well as for our ACDISmembers.Much credit belongs to the pioneers on the initialACDIS Advisory Board: Cindy Basham, GloryanneBryant, Jean Clark, Wendy De Vreugd, Colleen Garry,Dr. Robert Gold, Dr. William Haik, Tamara Hicks, PamLovell, Shannon McCall, Lynne Spryszak, and HeatherTaillon. Some of these folks have since retired, or evenpassed on. Some remain active with ACDIS. But none ofthem are forgotten.ACDIS started because CDI did not have a home of itsown. I hope that ACDIS has made you feel a little moreat home over the last 10 years. And I hope you believeas much in the limitlessness of this profession as I do.Here’s to the next 10.And, as you have probably seen on our social mediaplatforms or by listening to ACDIS Radio, we’ve managed to have a lot of fun along the way.Brian MurphyBut I need to stress—not with artificial humility but withthe clear vision of truth—that we did not do this alone.bmurphy@acdis.orgDirector, ACDISDESIGNDesign Services DirectorVincent Skyersvskyers@blr.comSenior DesignerVicki McMahanvmcmahan@blr.comGraphic DesignerTyson Davistdavis@blr.comADVISORY BOARDSam Antonios, MD,FACP, FHM, CCDSCDI/ICD-10 Physician AdvisorVia Christi HealthWichita, KansasSamer.Antonios@via-christi.orgAngie Curry, RN, BSN, CCDSCDI DirectorConifer HealthFrisco, Texasangelia.curry@coniferhealth.com 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. Paul Evans, RHIA, CCDS,CCS, CCS-PClinical Documentation IntegrityLeaderSutter West Bay Areaevanspx@sutterhealth.orgJames P. Fee, MD, CCS, CCDSVice PresidentEnjoinjames.fee@enjoincdi.comTamara A. Hicks, RN, BSN,MHA, CCS, CCDS, ACM-RNDirector, Clinical DocumentationExcellenceWake Forest Baptist Healththicks@wakehealth.eduRobin Jones, RN, BSN, CCDS,MHA/EdSystem Director, ClinicalDocumentation ExcellenceMercy HealthKaty Good, RN, BSN, CCS, CCDS Cincinnati, OhioCDI Training Materials Specialist RAJones@mercy.comEnjoinkaty.good@enjoincdi.com 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. Karen Newhouser, RN, BSN,CCDS, CCS, CCMDirector of CDI EducationMedPartnersTampa, Floridakarenmpu@medpartnershim.comLaurie Prescott, RN, CCDS,CDIP, CRCCDI Education DirectorHCPro/ACDISMiddleton, Massachusettslprescott@acdis.orgJudy Schade, RN, MSN,CCM, CCDSCDI SpecialistMayo Clinic HospitalMosinee, WisconsinSchade.judy@mayo.eduDeanne Wilk, BSN, RN, CCDS,CCSManager of CDIPenn State HealthHershey, Pennsylvaniadwilk@hmc.psu.eduSusan Schmitz, JD, RN, CCS,CCDS, CDIPRegional CDI directorSouthern California KaiserPermanentePasadena, Californiasusanschmitz59@yahoo.comAnny Pang Yuen, RHIA,CCS, CCDS, CDIPVP of Revenue CycleR3 Health Solutionsayuen@r3healthcolutions.comACDIS TURNS 10 20175
ALL ABOUT ACDISProviding networking and education tools CDI needsregardless of professional backgrounds. ACDIS’ membership includes: 60% CDI specialists, including nursesBreaking down the core structure of the association 25% directors and managers of CDI/HIMThe Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS) is the premier association forCDI specialists, providing a medium for education, professional growth, program recognition, and networking. 5% other titles currently subscribing to CDI publi-With the healthcare industry’s ongoing effort to providehigher-quality care at lower costs, the role of CDI leadership and professionals in capturing accurate, codableclinical data within the healthcare record has becomeincreasingly vital to quality improvement initiatives, compliance, and the revenue cycle.Leaders across healthcare have recognized the importance of this growing profession and are increasinglyimplementing new CDI programs, expanding existingCDI efforts into new settings and service lines, and supporting their programs with consulting services and EHRsystem implementation.As the first and only national association dedicated toCDI, ACDIS is the go-to resource and home for thoseworking in the field of clinical documentation improvement. Started in 2007, ACDIS includes: More than 5,600 members Approximately 3,500 Certified Clinical Documen-tation Specialist (CCDS) holders§§The CCDS is the nation’s preferred credential for those working in the profession A national week of recognition for CDIprofessionals Approximately 40 local chapters An annual conference with more than 50 presen-tations, 2,000 attendees, and 50 exhibitors A robust web platform for peer-to-peer net-working, resources, education, news, thoughtleadership, and analysis of changing healthcareregulations6 ACDIS TURNS 10 2017The association is wholly owned by HCPro and itsparent companies H3.Group and Simplify Compliance,but is led by a volunteer advisory board consisting of12 at-large members hailing from and elected by theACDIS community. These volunteers provide insight intothe daily struggles of CDI professionals and work withACDIS administrators to develop solutions. The boardmembers compose research and publish in-depth analysis, offer insight, and participate in quarterly conferencecalls where they discuss core topics with other ACDISmembers.ACDIS volunteers also serve on a number of othercommittees, including the following: The ACDIS Conference Committee, a group ofroughly 13 volunteers that reviews conferencepresentation applications and selects sessionsfor its annual event. The group also helps select aseries of professional award winners. The Practice Guidelines Committee, which helpsgather research and provide feedback to relatedgovernment and healthcare agencies regardingthe effect of regulatory doctrine on CDI activities. The Chapter Advisory Board, which providesguidance to the voluntary local chapter leadersacross the country. The CCDS Committee, which regularly updatesthe credentialing exam, responds to membershipquestions, and assists in setting exam prerequisiterequirements. The CDI Week Committee, which develops mate-rials and activities to help members celebrate ournational week of professional recognition.ACDIS welcomes all those who are interested in learning how clinical documentation can be better leveraged to reflect a wide range of patient care concerns 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. 10% physician advisorscations/using CDI trainingPenny Richards is ACDIS’ member services specialistand CCDS certification coordinator. She is responsiblefor all things related to the CCDS credential and ACDISmembership.Linnea Archibald is the editor for ACDIS. She writesand edits CDI Strategies, the CDI Journal, ACDISBlog, and social media. She also contributes to ACDIS’book and webinar offerings.Our editorial team is responsible for researching, writing, and creating new and relevant content for the CDIcommunity. They have their finger on the pulse of newCDI regulations and can be relied upon to deliver the latest news, educational materials, and training resourcesto CDI specialists throughout the country. The editorialteam includes:Brian Murphy, CPC, director of ACDIS, oversees management of its award-winning resources, leads association outreach, and develops industry CDI guidancein conjunction with the ACDIS Advisory Board. Murphy also oversees the annual ACDIS Conference, thenation’s first and largest conference dedicated to theunique needs of the CDI specialist. Murphy is a formermanaging editor at HCPro, with experience in developing products and services for HIM professionals. He hasextensive knowledge of CDI and HIM, with an emphasison documentation, coding, Medicare regulations, andthe revenue cycle.ACDIS’ MEMBERSHIP INCLUDESRebecca Hendren, ACDIS’ associate director of membership and product development, oversees productresearch and membership outreach. She is a formerproduct manager at HCPro, where she managed theaccreditation, patient safety, nursing, and hospital safetymarkets.Melissa Varnavas is the associate editorial director ofACDIS, responsible for managing its extensive collectionof editorial products and online services. A core memberof the ACDIS administrative team since 2008, she hasalso helped more than 40 state and specialty-focusedCDI networking groups across the country organizeeffective educational events. 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. 60% CDI specialists, including nurses25% Directors and managers of CDI/HIM10% Physician advisors5% O ther titles currently subscribing toCDI publications/using CDI trainingACDIS TURNS 10 20177
O7OBER 201CTACDIS celebrates its10th anniversary!OCTOBER 1, 2007MAY 2008OCTOBER 2008MAY 2016JANUARY 2017ACDIS goes live; MS-DRGsimplemented1st annual conference;1st CCDS board meetingMelissa Varnavas joinsACDIS as associateeditorial directorMercedita Moralesbecomes the 5,000thACDIS memberLinnea Archibald becomesthe ACDIS editorSEPTEMBER 2009MAY 2009APRIL 2009First CDI Boot CamplaunchedCCDS certificationlaunchedMembership rises to 1,500;local chapters launchedSEPTEMBER 2017ACDIS holds its firstoutpatient-focusededucational eventJANUARY 2016DECEMBER 2015OCTOBER 2015Rebecca Hendren joinsACDIS as its associatedirectorRhonda Bisby becomes3,000th CCDS credentialholderICD-10-CM/PCSimplementedSEPTEMBER 2011JANUARY 2012SEPTEMBER 2012FEBRUARY 2013MARCH 2014First full-time CDI educatorposition filledFirst CDI Week, a week ofnational recognition for theprofessionPenny Richards joinsACDIS as CCDScoordinatorACDIS turns 5 with 3,200members and 1,000 CCDScredential holdersACDIS/AHIMA collaborateon a seminal querypractice briefCongress delays ICD-10CM/PCS implementationJANUARY 2015CDI Journal becomes abimonthly publicationFEBRUARY 2010APRIL 201449% of surveyrespondentsstructurally align CDIwith HIM/coding
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR’S NOTEgreater specificity. “If they were treating the patient, wewanted to make sure the documentation showed thetrue picture of what was going on,” Ostrow said.What’s so special about ACDIS?by Melissa VarnavasWhat makes ACDIS unique? In short, it’s themembership. There are more than 5,500 ACDISmembers now as we celebrate our 10th anniversary. That’s the size of a city. Sure, it’s not a largecity, but it’s definitely a community—one whosemembers have chosen to live and work togetherand ensure their neighbors succeed. And that’s anamazing thing to be a part of.But it’s been that way since the start of theorganization. Back then, everyone was scrambling to figure out the best way to do this job.Everyone was looking for the best clinical indicators to help win their physicians over. And everyonewas struggling to find their niche within the hospitalhierarchy of department reporting structures.So everyone shared. Everyone shared just abouteverything they possibly could. They shared theirtime, first and foremost, in serving on a think tank,then an advisory committee, then an advisoryboard. Volunteers also met regularly to design theshape and scope of the organization and dedicated themselves to seeing the project through tofruition.individuals threw themselves into the association’screation with gusto.Although a small band at the start, ACDIS’ members seemingly doubled every month. Donationscame pouring in for the Forms & Tools Library—smatterings of sample queries, jumbles of policies,thoughtful collections of processes, and sample job descriptions. Murphy published quarterlynewsletters and biweekly email digests to start. Heheld conference calls for members, where CDI professionals asked questions of the Advisory Boardand each other.It was a dialogue that continued via the ACDISForum (then the CDI Talk listserv). Members discussed strategies for dealing with noncompliantphysicians and offered up their hard work—in theform of CDI newsletters, policies, tip cards, andqueries—as samples that others could adapt anduse as their own.In the first few months of ACDIS’ existence, noone really knew what to expect from the fledglingassociation. At the time, managing editor BrianMurphy took on the mantle of director and beganholding conference calls with a hand-selectedboard of trusted advisors and new CDI specialists.Many of those founding ACDIS members continue to be instrumental in the ongoing strengthand progress of the CDI profession—advocatingfor CDI in their systems, promoting the value of CDIwithin ancillary departments, mentoring new CDIprofessionals, and even letting their actual geographic communities know about how valuableCDI programs are to the patients they serve. Forexample, the CDI team at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, New York, notified theirlocal newspaper about CDI Week this year.The professionals he reached out to lamentedthe lack of information available for their uniqueposition. CDI specialists didn’t fall easily into thecoding ranks, and specialists who hailed fromnursing could no longer consider themselves partof the direct patient care process. The need forguidance and orthodoxy was clear, and theseIn the early days, when Murphy asked membersto share their success stories, they did—and theystill do. In our very first edition of the CDI Journal,Judy Ostrow, RN, BSN, CDI manager at St. Luke’sEpiscopal Hospital in Houston, offered an insidelook at her year-old CDI program. The team’s overall goal was to get the physicians to document with10 ACDIS TURNS 10 2017 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. In the second issue of the CDI Journal, Lena Wilson, RHIA, CCS, at the time CDI manager for Indianapolis-based Clarian Health, volunteered her experience inpushing the program’s focus beyond CC/MCC captureand moving the case-mix index into more capture of disease severity and quality of care.It’s a theme that’s continued throughout the pastdecade to today. In the September 2017 edition of theCDI Journal, Aimee Van Balen, RN, BSN, CCDS, seniorclinical documentation specialist at Lifespan in Providence, Rhode Island said that “every hospital systemshould want their patients to look and reflect an accuratepicture of their risk and severity.”And it’s a mission we’ve undertaken as a community.Through our conversations within the various platformsthat the larger association interacts in—from the Journal to the email newsletter CDI Strategies, from theACDIS Forum to social media, from local chapter eventsto the national conference and symposiums, from theresource library to surveys, white papers, and positionpapers, from quarterly conference calls to ACDIS Radioprograms—we have grown collectively and continued tostrive to meet the needs of that community.featured in articles, and still others have helped developbooks that have become staple texts for professionalsacross the country. We are genuinely concerned abouteach other; we share baby pictures and vacation stories.When we meet at the annual conference, it’s like gathering for a reunion. We hug. And when it’s time to depart afew short days later, we hug again.I could go on and on, and hopefully will, as we stepout from our revelry and reminiscences during our 10thanniversary year and step forward into all the continuingchallenges and opportunities facing us. It is an excitingtime to be a part of this amazing profession. I look forward to many more years of comradery, growth, andexperiences with all of you.You are ACDIS, and you are amazing. You are whatmakes this organization strong, unique, and special.Thank you for these past 10 years.Editor’s note: Varnavas is the associate editorial director for ACDISand has worked with its parent company HCPro/H3.Group for nearly12 years. Contact her at mvarnavas@acdis.org.I am always astounded to realize just how many ACDISmembers I personally call friends and how much of thisongoing CDI story we’ve shared together. Some haveworked with me to start local chapters, others have been 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. ACDIS TURNS 10 201711
Susanne WarfordMBA-HCM, RN, CCDS, Regional CDI Manager, Baptist Health“When I think of ACDIS and the CDI profession, three things come tomind: Integrity. Honesty. Accuracy. I feel privileged and honored to bepart of this group.”This picture is one of the few remaining from our first ACDIS Conference, which took place at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.Adelaide La Rosa and Wendy De Vreugd volunteered to hand outCDI Week t-shirts at the national conference in Orlando ahead ofthat September’s first celebration of the clinical documentationimprovement profession.ACDIS member Jamie Dugan plays the role of a patient duringa mock wedding of CDI professionals and physicians during theposter presentation session at the 2013 ACDIS Conference inNashville.In 2009, ACDIS held the first leadership breakfast at its nationalconference in honor of chapter leaders who volunteer to help CDIprofessionals network with one another locally.William E. HaikMD, FCCP, CDIP, Director, DRG Review Inc.2012 CDI Professional of the Year award winners Dee Banet,Robert Hodges, and Cathy Seluke pose with their trophies besideBrian Murphy and sponsor representative Steve Robinson.“ACDIS is the only national organization I am aware of that singularlyrepresents CDI professionals and provides them a platform to influenceregulatory agencies through educational efforts.”ACDIS member Melissa Malabanan has attended nearly every conference and manages to join the staff for at least one quick picture.12 ACDIS TURNS 10 2017 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. Every year, ACDIS Conference attendees wear their purple andorange to show their professional pride.ACDIS TURNS 10 201713
Networking also represents one of ACDIS’ core tenets. Here, two2016 conference attendees discuss lessons learned from their lastsession.CDI professionals around the country come up with unique andclever ways to engage providers and ancillary staff about the importance of CDI efforts during CDI Week—including creating a CDIWheel of Fortune game.Advancing the profession and providing a unique set of instructionsfor personal career growth represents some of the core principlesof ACDIS. Here, an ACDIS attendee listens to a lecture during the2015 conference in San Antonio.Deanne WilkBSN, RN, CCDS, CCS, CDIManager, Penn State HealthACDIS is all about building community and long-lasting friendships.Here, CCDS Coordinator Penny Richards sheds a few tears of happiness and compassion for Professional of the Year award winnerRita Fields.The ACDIS staff is a good-natured, fun-loving bunch. Here, bootcamp instructors Laurie Prescott and Sharme Brodie abduct a lifesized poster of ACDIS Director Brian Murphy and take him for anelevator ride.“CDI is research, communication, and education. All of those things areencompassed in the ACDIS organization. It knows the profession, itsmembers, and embodies the values we seek in a national organization.”14 ACDIS TURNS 10 2017As much as the core ACDIS team may represent the “face” of the association, we are supported by an amazing network of staff. From ourevents team to our sales force, our customer service staff, and our production team—we couldn’t do it without them. 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. 2017 HCPro, a division of BLR. ACDIS TURNS 10 201715
RN, BSN, MHA, CCS, CCDS, ACM FEATURES 4 Director's Note ACDIS Director Brian Murphy looks back over 10 years of ACDIS and ruminates about the . Penn State Health Hershey, Pennsylvania dwilk@hmc.psu.edu Anny Pang Yuen, RHIA, CCS, CCDS, CDIP VP of Revenue Cycle R3 Health Solutions
