By Laurie L. Prescott, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP

While I love each of our CDI-related courses, this one if my absolute favorite course to teach as it covers so many angles of the CDI practice. Many look at risk adjustment as it relates to outpatient CDI practice. The concepts we discuss in class, however, cover both inpatient and outpatient encounters.

Every year, the day before the conference officially kicks off, we invite attendees to join us for a pre-conference cocktail reception. This year, ACDIS advisory board members will be center-stage for a meet-and-greet, so head on over to the main stage to start up a conversation with these amazing volunteers. Members of the 2017 Conference Committee will also be on hand so stop by and congratulate them on their accomplishments.

Welcome to Las Vegas for the 10^th annual ACDIS conference! We have a great few days planned for you, but there is still one piece of business to handle before you can jump in with both feet: checking in at the registration desk. Early registration happens today, Tuesday, May 9, at 2-6 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom Foyer, on Level 1 of the conference center. You can’t miss it when you enter the conference area.

Every year, the first day of the conference is ACDIS spirit day. This means attendees are encouraged to don their purple and orange garb and create a sea of ACDIS colors coursing through the MGM Grand and into the conference center.

Healthcare organizations need to make crucial decisions based on the perceived risk of their patient populations. To do this, organizations need a complete picture of their population.

Editor’s note: Cesar M. Limjoco, MD, and Kelli A. Estes, RN, CCDS, will be presenting “The ultimate test for queries,” on Day 1 of the ACDIS conference. Limjoco is the vice president of DCBA, Inc. in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has more than 25 years of consulting experience, serving in his current position since 2005. Estes is a clinical documentation specialist consultant for DCBA, Inc., an Atlanta-based company founded by the late Robert S. Gold, MD. She has 23 years of experience in nursing and 16 years in CD