2025 ACDIS Conference

Sunday, May 4 – Wednesday, May 7, 2025

The 17th annual ACDIS conference returns to sunny Orlando, Florida in May 2025, and the ACDIS team invites you to seek inspiration beneath the palm trees.

Each person has unique experiences and perspectives to share—this is a chance to share yours and hear from others. Join your CDI community and consider this: Who will you inspire in 2025?

The 2025 ACDIS conference features critical industry insights, transformational keynotes, and ample networking opportunities. As always, ACDIS provides continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages during breaks, and an opening night reception, all included with registration.

After attending this event, learners will be able to:

• Determine data elements and metrics necessary to ensure your CDI program’s return on investment
• Identify strategies for managing denials and mitigating risk
• Summarize the elements of a compliant physician query
• Discuss strategies for engaging providers with clinical documentation integrity efforts

Who Should Attend?

• Clinical documentation integrity specialists
• CDI staff
• Inpatient coders
• CDI managers/directors
• HIM managers/directors
• Case managers
• Revenue integrity specialists
• Chief financial officers
• Chief medical officers
• Physician advisors 

2025 ACDIS Conference

Agenda

Sunday, May 4, 2025

2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Registration

4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Grand Opening and Welcome Reception

Monday, May 5, 2025

7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.
Registration and Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks From ACDIS: Who Will You Inspire?
Rebecca Hendren and Deanne Wilk, MPS, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CCS

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Keynote Session: Unstoppable
Alex Weber

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
Optimize Sepsis Documentation for Accurate Quality, Revenue, and Patient Outcomes
Beth Wolf, MD, CPC, CCDS

Professional Development & Collaboration
Why Synergy Between UM and CDI Is Important to Patient Care
Fran Jurcak, MSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, and Sheila Duhon, MBA, RN, CCDS, CCS, A-CCRN

Quality & Denials
How to Achieve All A's in Healthcare
Alexis Wells, MSN, RN, LSSYB, CCDS, and Stacia Gandee, RHIA, CCS, CDIP

Program Advancement & Innovation
Driving Systemwide CDI Excellence: The Evolution of a Large Health System’s CDI Team From Good to Great
Faisal Hussain, MD, MHIIM, RHIA, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, and Julie Salomon, RN, BSN

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Growing a New Program: The Birth Pains and Joys of Obstetric, Neonate, and Pediatric CDI
Jennifer Seisser, MSN, RN; Lindsey Kramer, BSN, RN; and Amber Watters, MD, MS

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Networking Break (Exhibit Hall)

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
A Systematic Approach to Finding CDI Query Opportunities
Kathleen Joseph, RN, BSN, CCDS, and Diksha Sharma, MD, CCDS

Professional Development & Collaboration
How to Build High Performing Teams
Tamara A. Hicks, MHA, BSN, RN, CCS, CCDS, CCDS-O, and Melinda B. Matthews, MHA, BSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP

Quality & Denials
Success You Can’t Deny: Fighting Back Denials With a Winning Combo
Gopi J. Astik, MD, MS; Kristine Green, MSN, RN; and Dave Sowers, BSN, MS, RN, CCDS

Program Advancement & Innovation
Inspire Critical Thinking to Unlock the Power of Accurate Reconciliation
Angelica Cage, MBA, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCS, CDIP

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Pediatric Sepsis Update: Phoenix Is the New SIRS!
Lucinda Lo, MD; Wendy Arafiles, MD; and Amy Sanderson, MD

12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Networking Lunch—provided (Exhibit Hall)

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
Unwinding Acute Myocardial Injury, Demand Ischemia, and Acute Myocardial Infarctions
Dawn Valdez, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CRC

Professional Development & Collaboration
Transforming Perceptions: Inspiring Growth Through Audits
Jordan Trafan, MSN-Ed, BSN, RN, TCRN; Elizabeth "Liz" Hodgeson, RN; and Jaime Stanford, RN, CCDS

Quality & Denials
CDI School: A Field Trip on PSI 90 Bus Line—Know Your Drivers and Rules to Ride
LaKisha Richardson, BSN, RN, CCDS, CRCR

Program Advancement & Innovation
Refining Excellence: Data-Driven Second-Level Reviews
Brittani Winkler, MHA, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, and Susanne Warford, RN, MBA, CCDS

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
The ROI of Outpatient CDI
Jason Jobes, MSPA, and Carol Ann Hudson, RN

2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Networking Break (Exhibit Hall)

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
The Back-Breaking Work of Reviewing Spinal Surgery Cases
Connie Ryan, MBA, MAcc, RN, CDIP, and Erica Braun, MS, RN, CCDS

Professional Development & Collaboration
From Challenge to Change: Inspiring Transformation Through Servant Leadership
Jessica Vaughn, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, CCDS, CCDS-O, CRC, and Tamika Wolford, BSN, RN, CCDS-O, CRC

Quality & Denials
Query Denials: The New Battleground with Payers
Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CDIP, CCDS, and Robin Sewell, CCS, CDIP, CPC, CIC, CCDS-O

Program Advancement & Innovation
Clinical Legal Implications of Payer Documentation Integrity Audits
Richelle Marting, JD, MHSA, RHIA, CPC, CEMC, CPMA, CPC-I, and R. Kendall Smith, Jr., MD, SFHM, ACPA-C

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Pediatric CDI: Pediatric Guidelines and Key Diagnoses
LeeAnne Gill, BSN, RN, CCDS, and Tom Brazelton, MD, MPH, FAAP

4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Get Credentialed: An Introduction to the CCDS and CCDS-O
Rebecca Hendren
Get Inspired With ACDIS PRO
Karla Kozak

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.
Breakfast (Exhibit Hall)

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Presentation of the ACDIS Achievement Awards
Rebecca Hendren and Deanne Wilk, MPS, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CCS

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Keynote Session: The Power of Belonging in Healthcare: Unlocking Trust and Connection for High-Performing Teams
Nika White

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
Brain Compression, Cerebral Edema, and Associated Conditions
Amy Sanderson, MD; Sheilah Snyder, MD, FAAP; and Lucinda Lo, MD

Professional Development & Collaboration
CDI and Quality: Moving From Partnership to a New Role
Mary Alice Dewees, BSN, RN, CCDS, CRC; Fakhar J. Khan, MD; and Marcy Pease, BSN, RN, CCDS

Quality & Denials
Impacting O:E Mortality Through Second Level Non-Mortality Reviews
Keri Miller, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCS, and Tiara Minor, RN, BSN, CCDS

Program Advancement & Innovation
Building the Case for a Physician Advisor
Jessica Risner, BSN, RN, CCDS, CRCR, and Raman Singh, MD, CCDS

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Navigating the Maze of Risk Adjustment: Considering Inpatient, Outpatient, and Ambulatory Settings
Kathryn DeVault, MSL, RHIS, CCS, CCS-P, FAHIMA, and Linda Wiseman, RN, BSN, CCDS

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Networking Break (Exhibit Hall)

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
Key Takeaways from KDIGO 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease
Edgar V. Lerma, MD, FACP, FASN, FPSN (Hon), and Lourdes Albino Cacanindin, MD, CCDS

Professional Development & Collaboration
Finding Meaningful Purpose in CDI
Deborah Jones, MSN, RN, CCDS

Quality & Denials
Mastering the Art of Persuasion: Crafting Effective Denial Appeal Letters
Kim Conner, BSN, CCDS, CCDS-O

Program Advancement & Innovation
Using Data to Derive Dollars From Cases Unreviewed by CDI
Sathya Vijakumar, MS, MBA, LSSGB; Katie Bravo, RHIA, CDIP, CCS; and Kearstin Jorgenson, MS, CCS, CIC, CPC, COC

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Mastering Newborn Facility Coding: Key Guidelines and Documentation Strategies
Leigh Poland, BS, RHIA, CCS, CDIP, CIC

12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Networking Lunch—provided (Exhibit Hall)

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
FIGHT CANCER: Oncology Overview and Query Opportunities
Cindy Labins, MSN, RN, CCDS, and Adriana Cecchini, MSN, RN, CIC

Professional Development & Collaboration
Optimizing Hospital Reporting by Empowering Physicians Through CDI Education
Kalee Vincent, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCDS-O, CCS, and Terrance Govender, MD

Quality & Denials
The Impact of Admit Type on Patient Safety Quality Metrics
Penny Jefferson, MSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CCS, CDIP, CRC, CHDA, CRCR, CPHQ, ACPA-C, and Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCIP, CCDS

Program Advancement & Innovation
Scaling Pre-Bill Review and ROI at a Large Academic Medical Center
Mike Gao, MD, and Angela Comfort, DBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Unique PICU Conditions: Opportunity for Diagnosis Capture
Amy Sanderson, MD

2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Networking Break and Exhibit Hall Finale

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
Acute Skin Failure: Our Largest Organ Fails Too!
Keisha Downes, MBA-HM, BSN, RN, CCDS, CCS

Professional Development & Collaboration
Improving Engagement by Changing Team Culture
Katie Parsley, MSN, RN, CCDS, CPHQ

Quality & Denials
How to Partner With UR to Decrease Denials Upfront and Write Appeals When Needed
Melissa Buchner-Mehling, MD, CPHYADV, FABQAURP, and Chia-Shing Yang, MD, FACP, FHM

Program Advancement & Innovation
Harnessing Data-Driven Insights to Streamline Workflow and Mitigate Documentation Leakage
Tamara Adolph, MHA, RN, CCDS; Christopher Riccard, MD; and Fran Jurcak, MSN, RN, CCDS, CCDS-O

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Clinical Documentation Integrity in Veterans Integrated Service Network 10
Robert S. Hodges, MSN, BSN, RN, VHA-CM, CCDS

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.
Breakfast

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Keynote Session: Accomplish Anything: Forge Your Unstoppable Path
Tom Turcich

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
What You Aorta Know About Cardiac Surgery: Understanding Open Interventions, Cardiopulmonary Bypass, and Implications on the CDI Review Process
Alicia Pinsonneault, BSN-RN, CCDS, CRCR

Professional Development & Collaboration
No Code Left Behind: Why Reconciliation Between the CDI and HIM Code Set Must Be More Than DRG-Mismatches
Donna Wheeler, RN, CCDS, and Stacey Haines, CCS

Quality & Denials
Hidden Gems: Do Not Sleep on These Risk Variables
Amy Kratochvil, RHIT, CCDS, CDIP, and Mercy C. Gonzalez MSN, RN, CCDS

Program Advancement & Innovation
Diagnosis Definitions: An Organizational Challenge
Sharra Way, RN, CCDS, and Nancy Aming, RN, BSN, MSHA, BC, CCDS, SLR

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
Applying Social Drivers of Health in a Pediatric Health System, Inpatient and Outpatient
Valerie Bica, BSN, RN, and Viji Anchan, MSN, RN

10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.
Refreshment Break

10:35 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

Clinical & Coding
Illuminating Social Determinants of Health (SDOH): A Call for Better Outcomes
Alma Yap, BSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP, CCS, and Thea Campbell, MBA, RHIA

Professional Development & Collaboration
Increased Staff Engagement in a Hybrid World Through Shared Learning
Jacob Neubauer, MN, RN-CNL, CCDS, and Nicole Tebo, RN, BSN, CCDS

Quality & Denials
Why Bother? DRG Denials: Collaboration Is Key
Elaine Koetje, BS, BSN, RN, CCDS, CRCR, CHC; Brooke Twomley, BSN, RN, CCDS; and Britta Wofford, RN, BSN, CCDS, CRCR

Program Advancement & Innovation
Implementing and Sustaining CDI Education: The BJC Experience
Karen Elmore, BSN, RN, CCDS

Pediatrics & CDI Expansion
The Outpatient CDI Implementation Maze: Navigating Through the Complexities and Challenges at a VA Medical Center
Kathleen Romero, MSN, RN, CCDS-O, EBP-C, and Blanca Arguello, MSN, RN

— Agenda subject to change —

2025 ACDIS Conference

Location

Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
6000 West Osceola Parkway
Kissimmee, FL 34746

• Room rate: $234.00 + $38.00 resort fee*/night
• Hotel cut-off date: Thursday, April 10, 2025
• Hotel website: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/mcogp-gaylord-palms-resort-and-convention-center/overview/
• Hotel reservations: Online at https://book.passkey.com/go/ACDIS2025 or call 407-586-2000 and reference the ACDIS Conference

HCPro/ACDIS has no affiliation with any third-party companies or travel assistance providers. Rooms should be booked directly with the event hotel using the official information provided on the website and in the brochure.

Pricing

• Retail Price: $1,099.00
• Early Bird Price: $999.00 — Early Bird deadline: March 3, 2025
• Membership Price:  $999.00 — ACDIS members save $100! Call Customer Service at 800-650-6787 for your discount.
• Membership Early Bird: $899.00 — Early Bird deadline: March 3, 2025
• Interested in attending with a group? Register 5 attendees for the price of 4! Call Customer Service at 800-650-6787 ext. 4111 or email HCEvents@hcpro.com

Additional Savings & Fun

To purchase specially priced Walt Disney World® Meeting/Convention Theme Park tickets, CLICK HERE or call 407-566-5600 and provide group code G0847476.

Tickets are valid 7 days before, during, and 7 days after the meeting dates. To enter a park, both a park reservation and valid ticket on the same day are required. To make park reservations, you will need to sign-in to an existing Disney® Account or create a new one and link each ticket. Park reservations are subject to availability – please check the Park Availability Calendar. For details on making a park reservation, please visit Disney Park Pass Experience Updates.

Whether it’s your first visit or your 100th, we recommend reviewing the Walt Disney World® Resort Experience Updates.

ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI

Saturday, May 3 – Sunday, May 4, 2025 | Kissimmee, FL

Discover your CDI program’s potential at the ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI, a two-day event dedicated exclusively to clinical documentation integrity (CDI) efforts in the outpatient and ambulatory settings.

The ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI offers comprehensive sessions for both managers/leaders and clinical chart reviewers, including how to get started in the ambulatory setting, crafting compliant queries, collecting and analyzing metrics, and demonstrating return on investment. With two tracks on Day 2, there are options for attendees of all experience levels. Plus, take advantage of the many networking opportunities to connect with and learn from your peers!

Learn more HERE and save 15% on the ACDIS Symposium: Outpatient CDI when coupled with the main conference.

ACDIS Physician Advisor Forum

Saturday, May 3 – Sunday, May 4, 2025 | Kissimmee, FL

The ACDIS Physician Advisor Forum offers two days of exceptional education delivered by the nation's leading physician advisors.

With two tracks on Day 1, this conference is perfect for both new and veteran physician advisors. In the morning of Day 1, learn the physician advisor's key responsibilities (or brush up on the basics!) with our Physician Advisor Foundations sessions in Track 1, or explore more advanced topics in Track 2. In the afternoon, continue to choose the sessions that interest you most! The two tracks come together on Day 2 for a unified experience.

Learn more HERE and save 15% on the ACDIS Physician Advisor Forum when coupled with the main conference.