Over 30 CECs for Less Than $9 Each!

How is this possible, you wonder? By purchasing the ACE 2011 DVD, available soon. Watch any of the ACE 2011 credit-worthy educational sessions featured on the DVD and write a 300-word summary on each session you wish to earn credit for. Add those CECs to your Summary Form and you're set. If you get audited, attach the corresponding summaries you'd written as proof of credit earned. It's that easy.

Session Highlights:

Shed or You're Dead: How to Stay Alive and Thrive in the Midst of Healthcare Change – Kathy Dempsy, RN, MED, CSP (1.5 PD)

Ethical Considerations in Health Information and Transcription – April Martin, CMT, AHDI-F (1 ML)

New Research Milestones and Treatments of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – David Saperstein, MD (1 CM)

Speech Recognition and Medical Transcription Throw Away Everything You Thought You Knew – Lynn Kosegi, PMP (1 TW)

What Every MT Should Know About Privacy and Security Rules and Regulations – Barbara Perrett, RHIA, CCS, CHP, CHC (1 ML)

Post-production editing is in progress, and we anticipate the availability of this DVD by the end of September. Stay tuned to AHDI communications for further information!

Save the Date!

AHDI Annual Convention & Expo: ACE 2012
August 8-11
Indianapolis, IN

ACE2011 Lapel Pin - Get Yours Today!

Purchase your commemorative lapel pin for AHDI's 33rd Annual Convention & Exposition today for only $10. Supplies are limited so don't delay!



Purchase Lapel Pin

ACE 2011 DVD Coming Soon!

The education sessions were videotaped at ACE for the first time ever. The DVD will go on sale in late September. Watch your email Inbox, or visit www.ahdionline.org, for details on how to purchase your copy.

ACE was the Place!

Thank you to all who were able to attend AHDI's Annual Convention & Exposition! We wish to acknowledge and thank AHDI West for their contributions to this year's big event. They were fabulous hosts.

This was the first ACE for AHDI's new CEO, Nancy Brighindi, PhD, CAE. We invite you to read her personal recap from the event here.

If you missed ACE, check out the latest news hot off the press!

• 2011 Integrity Awards winners


• Wrap-up and highlights


• The Great Debate – The Audience Said…

We also extend a special thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors for their financial contributors who helped make ACE 2011 possible.

From Your Board of Directors and House of Delegates

Learn. Evolve. Shine. At this year's Annual Convention and Expo, the world comes to you! ACE 2011 begins Thursday evening, August 18, with an "All Around the World" welcome reception. This is the introduction to what promises to be an exciting three days of speakers and presentations, covering creditworthy topics in clinical medicine, industry trends, workforce development, and our new laptop workshops. It isn't too late to commit to attending so you, too, can brush up on your knowledge and skills, learn more about what's happening in the industry, and network with like-minded professionals. Join us for the Fun Night Out at Casino Arizona on Saturday, or explore the beauty and comforts of the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa.

The AHDI Board of Directors meeting will be held Wednesday, August 17. Gallery seating is available and we wish to extend an invitation to each attendee to join us. The Board has limited its face-to-face meetings this year in the interests of being fiscally responsible with our resources, so the opportunity to meet and interact in person is especially significant. The board meeting agenda will include presentations by the at-large and district directors who wish to be elected board officers. This ACE is certainly a landmark event with the next evolution of the National Leadership Board (NLB) and newly elected district directors sitting as one with the existing BOD. The House of Delegates meeting Thursday also has gallery seating available.

You won't find another event focused specifically on the healthcare documentation professional that offers such a comprehensive mix of educational sessions, business development opportunities, and professional networking activities. Join us for ACE 2011 and take the next step toward professional growth and success. It's not too late to get in on the excitement!!

It's Not Too Late To Learn, Evolve, and Shine at ACE 2011

We will be accepting pre-event registrations online and by mail or fax through Monday, August 15. If registering by mail or fax, we must receive your registration by 5pm pacific on 8/15 for it to be accepted. Otherwise, we will be taking registrations on-site at the AHDI registration desk in the JW Marriott Desert Ridge - Phoenix, Arizona. The AHDI registration desk will open Wednesday, August 17, at 4:00 p.m. Make 2011 your year to achieve professional growth and success and join us in Phoenix. We'll see you there!

View the Interactive Schedule
Register Now!
Visit ACE365 - Your ACE Headquarters

Don't Miss Our Friend and Follow Event in the AHDI Lounge!

AHDI's Outreach Workgroup for News & Networking (OWNN) and our component social media specialists invite you to join us for our "Friend and Follow" event in the AHDI Lounge (inside the exhibit hall) Friday from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Whether you are already using social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter or are a beginner, come network with us! We will help you get started and also share valuable social media tips, dos and don'ts. During this event, attendees will connect in person with new people to "friend and follow" using social networking avenues so that you can stay connected after ACE. Come prepared to learn, socialize, and have fun! Remember to bring plenty of business cards with your social media information printed on them!

ACE 2011- Featured Workshop

Power Up! CQE Prep Workshop(not included with full registration)
Friday, August 19, 2011
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Presenter: Lea Sims, CMT, AHDI-F

This two-hour interactive workshop is designed to walk CQE candidates through both exam blue prints, take the fear out of exam preparation, and give candidates an organizational approach to studying both the RMT and CMT exams. Read Full Workshop Description

All Around the World Welcome Reception at ACE 2011

Join us for this exciting opening event where attendees will be welcomed with international flair! At the "All Around the World" welcome reception, attendees and exhibitors will experience the sights, sounds, foods and beverages from nations around the world. Our exhibitors are excited to host an international bazaar, each representing a different country in décor and design. Attendees are encouraged to celebrate their international heritage by dressing in the traditional clothing or colors of their native country. Anonymous judges will be among the crowd to judge the best-dressed attendees, with the winner receiving a complimentary full registration to ACE 2012 in Indianapolis, IN! So, don’t be shy! Grab your lederhosen, kimono, or dashiki and join the fun! Exhibitors will also be competing for your votes! Attendees will determine which exhibitor has the best booth décor and design and who has the most personable staff. Don’t miss this event—it is sure to be out of this world!

Sponsored by:

Payment Plan for ACE 2011 Registration Available through May 31

Money is very tight for all of us these days. We have taken that fact into consideration and have developed a payment plan option available for AHDI members purchasing a full conference registration to the 2011 Annual Convention & Exposition (ACE) in Phoenix, Arizona. Register before May 31 using the payment plan registration form and pay for your ACE 2011 full conference registration in three equal, monthly payments. We feel strongly that ACE is absolutely critical to the growth and development of today’s healthcare documentation professionals. Given the challenges we face in this industry with the landscape of our profession evolving at a rapid pace, it is the Annual Convention & Exposition that provides us with the forum to showcase all of the industry-related topics, technologies, and information you need to stay ahead of the curve in the healthcare documentation field. Join us in Phoenix where you can Learn… Evolve… and Shine.

View the ACE 2011 Interactive Schedule

Visit ACE 365 – Your ACE 2011 Headquarters

How You Can Learn, Evolve, and Shine at ACE!

August 17 - 21, 2011!

Learn…the latest updates and trends in clinical medicine, technology, and professional practices in our industry.

Evolve…your skills with new laptop workshops, a managers/supervisors workshop, a QA toolkit break-out session, a CMT/RMT session, and more.

Shine…bright as you accelerate toward a new level in your career thanks to the knowledge gained, connections made, and information shared at ACE 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona!

Visit ACE365, your headquarters for everything ACE and the home of your online ACE community. View the preliminary schedule of events or view the confirmed speaker list.

ACE 2011 - Payment Plan Option on Full Registrations

New in 2011, AHDI members may pay for their full conference registration in three equal payments spread out over a three-month period. The payment plan option is only available to AHDI members who are purchasing a full conference registration. To utilize this special option, you must register using the Payment Plan Registration Form. The payment plan is only available through May 31, 2011.

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Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

Register Today

Visit ACE365: Your ACE 2011 Headquarters

ACE 2011 - Preliminary Schedule of Events and Confirmed Speakers Update

The ACE 2011 volunteer program committee is hard at work finalizing your convention agenda, packed with hard-hitting, credit-worthy break-out sessions in the categories of clinical medicine, industry trends, and workforce development. The fully detailed interactive schedule of events with clickable session titles that reveal presentation summaries and speaker bios will be published in early May. In the meantime, we’ve created this preliminary schedule that will provide you with the overall dates, times, and activities planned for ACE 2011, so that you may plan your travel and accommodations accordingly.

We’ve also put together this list of speakers who have confirmed their participation at the convention in August. Have a look and check this list frequently for updates, which will be used in the interim until the full interactive schedule is posted in May.

Confirmed Break-out Speakers

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Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

Register Today

Visit ACE365: Your ACE 2011 Headquarters

ACE 2011 - Keynote Highlight: Shed or You're Dead!

Kathy B. Dempsey, RN, MED, CSP
Shed or You’re Dead®: How to Stay Alive &
Thrive in the Midst of Healthcare Change!


Millions of dollars and thousands of hours are lost each year due to the inability to get employees to move forward with healthcare changes. Why do 75% of all change efforts fail? And what would your organization be like if everyone could lead and master change? Healthcare organizations that equip their people to SHED faster and quicker will be the ones that survive and thrive!

This interactive keynote session is packed with practical strategies for immediate implementation! Leave empowered to SHED for Success™ and:

• Embrace the concept of shedding and why it is a critical skill in today’s healthcare environment.
• Apply the 3 foundational R’s of shedding to stay positive, juggle multiple priorities, and do more with less.
• Understand and conquer the 5 reasons why people resist change and won’t SHED!
• Overcome the number one barrier in leading and managing change.
• Increase your effectiveness by 75% by removing the biggest obstacles to a successful and sustainable change.

Kathy will give the opening keynote at ACE on Friday, August 19, 2011.

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Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

Register Today

Visit ACE365: Your ACE 2011 Headquarters

Invest in Your Career at ACE 2011 and See Sizeable Returns

April is tax month, and for many of us this means we’ve recently received a much needed and well-deserved boost of income thanks to Uncle Sam. Your frugality and attention to detail has paid off, and now is your chance to use your return to invest in your career by registering for AHDI’s 33rd Annual Convention & Exposition (ACE). Making it to ACE 2011 may not be as unaffordable as you think. Check out this list of savings tips that may make all the difference in helping you get to Phoenix this summer.

2011 is your year to take action toward elevating your career. Join your peers at ACE 2011, where we’ve designed a dynamic professional development and networking experience that will put you on the path to success. All of the critical issues and opportunities in healthcare documentation will be explored via educational tracks in clinical medicine, industry trends, and workforce development. Visit an array of employers, technology providers, recruiters, and vendors in the ACE 2011 exhibit hall or expand your professional circle of connections and potentially enhance your future career opportunities at our exciting networking events. Attending ACE 2011 is sure to provide you with an opportunity to Learn, Evolve, and Shine!

Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

Register Today

Visit ACE365: Your ACE 2011 Headquarters

ACE 2011—Come for the Training. Stay for the Fun!

In today’s tight economy, conference attendees are looking for practical tools, strategies, and takeaways that deliver real return on investment when it comes to the expense of a convention or trade show. In response to that consideration, AHDI is offering ACE 2011 attendees a unique opportunity to participate in hands-on technology training as part of the conference experience. Our Laptop Workshop series will be offered at no extra charge to conference attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. These workshops will be conducted in a technology-enabled classroom for the purpose of providing skills training in related web service and software applications – to include social networking, time/task management using Microsoft Outlook, creating presentations using PowerPoint, managing data in Excel, and others TBA. Attendees must bring their own Wi-Fi-enabled laptops. Power and Wi-Fi access will be provided. Stay tuned to ACE365 in the coming weeks to get a sneak peek at our Laptop Workshop series schedule of courses and instructors.

ACE 2010 Virtual Events

The following events will be Live from Austin for those of you who will not be able to join us this year at ACE.

Leadership Breakfast and Leadership Summit
Wednesday, August 4
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CDT

If you are unable to attend ACE this year, we would like to extend an invitation to join us virtually for the Leadership Breakfast and Leader Summit via webinar.

8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Grab your coffee and breakfast as we start the day with an update on AHDI’s strategic priorities. We will then hear from our many volunteer leaders during an "open mic" session as they share the accomplishments achieved this year by our components, committees, alliances, workgroups, and task teams.

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Break; webinar will close at 10:30 a.m. CDT and reopen on 11:00 a.m. CDT

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
At the Leadership Summit, volunteer leaders and House of Delegates will discuss the Blueprint for Great Governance (BGG). The BGG is an initiative of the House of Delegates, Board of Directors, and Component leaders that has looked at new approaches and models to best serve the needs of our members, component organizations, and to position MTs for long-term success. The BGG has examined four key areas: (1) Purpose of components; (2) Tactics for collaboration and sharing of best practices; (3) Ways to ensure financial stability; and (4) Models for engagement, communication, and governance. The proposed blueprint will be presented at the Leadership Summit. It is the result of a year-long process of brainstorming, discussion, and debate among dozens of AHDI volunteers, delegates, component officers, board members, and members. There will be opportunities for discussion and questions and answers throughout the day during the Leadership Summit. All members are invited and encouraged to attend this important event. Attendance is mandatory for the House of Delegates.

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Break; webinar will close at 1:00 p.m. CDT and reopen at 2:30 p.m. CDT

2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
The Leadership Summit will be reconvened at 2:30 p.m. and the discussions from earlier in the day will continue.

Register Now

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The Great ACE Tweet Up!
Thursday, August 5
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. CDT

The word networking has taken on a whole new meaning in today’s age of virtual connectivity, and arguably no social networking tool has done a better job of getting people connected than Twitter. Keeping our highly wired, at-home workforce connected to critical information has become an important goal not only for AHDI but for its strategic partners, member groups, and vendors. AHDI will be partnering with M*Modal over the coming months to engage in a “virtual” dialogue about a number of emerging industry issues and concerns. We’ll be kicking off a series of collaborative blogs, online chats, and webinars by cohosting a “Tweet Up” in the AHDI Lounge at ACE 2010. Lea Sims, CMT, AHDI-F (AHDI Director of Professional Programs) and Lynn Kosegi, PMP (M*Modal Director of Professional Services) will be leading both on-site attendees and virtual Twitter followers through a live Twitter “chat” event designed to engage more members of our MT community in social networking and generate “buzz” around key issues.

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Industry Update & Annual Business Meeting
Barb Marques, CMT, AHDI-F, Scott Shallet, and Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE
Friday, August 6
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. CDT

The ever-changing health IT landscape along with growing market pressures to improve healthcare services in a fiscally constrained environment are transforming the practice of medical transcription. Now more than ever the profession must be visible to the many healthcare stakeholders who are helping to reshape health care in explaining the important contributions our knowledge workers make in producing quality digital records. AHDI has undertaken a number of strategic initiatives in the last year, including its work with the Dewey Square Group on advocacy, Best Practice Tool Kits to help guide the evolution of the profession, and career resource tools to navigate through these changing times. As with anything the association does, the success of these initiatives hinges upon the participation and support of members like you.

This session is your opportunity to learn more about these initiatives and how they will enable the medical transcription profession to meet the major challenges facing it now and in the near future. More importantly, it is your chance to have a face-to-face conversation with association leadership about how the organization can best advance the profession and the interests of its members. This session will be simulcast on the homepage of www.ace365.org Friday, August 6, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. CDT, for maximum member participation.

ACE 2010 PHOTOS, BLOGS & TWEETS

Don’t forget to share your experience during & after the event! Upload your ACE photos, share a blog note, and track the event live on ACE365. Are you on Twitter? We would love to see you tweeting the event—just use #ACE365 in your posts.

Jump into social networking on site! Join us in the AHDI Lounge…Live! in the Exhibit Hall for live "on the couch" interviews, Twitter and Facebook lessons, and great group discussions—including AHDI’s Lea Sims and M*Modal’s Lynn Kosegi for our first-ever Tweet Chat event to discuss industry issues on Thursday, August 5, from 1 – 2 p.m. CDT.

The Great ACE Tweet Up!

Date: Thursday, August 5, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
Hashtag: #ace365chat

The word networking has taken on a whole new meaning in today’s age of virtual connectivity, and arguably no social networking tool has done a better job of getting people connected than Twitter. Keeping our highly wired, at-home workforce connected to critical information has become an important goal not only for AHDI but for its strategic partners, member groups, and vendors. AHDI will be partnering with M*Modal over the coming months to engage in a “virtual” dialogue about a number of emerging industry issues and concerns. We’ll be kicking off a series of collaborative blogs, online chats, and webinars by cohosting a “Tweet Up” in the AHDI Lounge at ACE 2010. Lea Sims, CMT, AHDI-F (AHDI Director of Professional Programs) and Lynn Kosegi, PMP (M*Modal Director of Professional Services) will be leading both on-site attendees and virtual Twitter followers through a live Twitter “chat” event designed to engage more members of our MT community in social networking and generate “buzz” around key issues.

For more information on how to join in on the conversation, visit The Great ACE Tweet Up page at www.ace365.org.

Industry Update & Annual Business Meeting at ACE 2010

The ever-changing health IT landscape along with growing market pressures to improve healthcare services in a fiscally constrained environment are transforming the practice of medical transcription. Now more than ever the profession must be visible to the many healthcare stakeholders who are helping to reshape health care in explaining the important contributions our knowledge workers make in producing quality digital records. AHDI has undertaken a number of strategic initiatives in the last year, including its work with the Dewey Square Group on advocacy, Best Practice Tool Kits to help guide the evolution of the profession, and career resource tools to navigate through these changing times. As with anything the association does, the success of these initiatives hinges upon the participation and support of members like you.

This session is your opportunity to learn more about these initiatives and how they will enable the medical transcription profession to meet the major challenges facing it now and in the near future. More importantly, it is your chance to have a face-to-face conversation with association leadership about how the organization can best advance the profession and the interests of its members. This session will be simulcast on ACE 365 for maximum member participation.

This session will take place on Friday, August 6, 2010.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online
View ACE 2010 Interactive Schedule