Constructing the NAMPI Conference…What to Expect When You Attend!
Kelly Bennett and Lori Stiles
The current NAMPI Board consists of members with a variety of longevity with the National Association for Medicaid Program Integrity (NAMPI). Some were even there at the beginning when the National Association of Surveillance Organizations, the NAMPI predecessor organization, was our means to collaborate and share information across the states. Throughout this article, each of the Board members will share some of their recollections of conferences of the past – we have come a long way. And for the past two years, we have weathered the storm (called COVID) fairly well. We have had two successful virtual conferences – many of our current members now only know of a virtual conference. So, as we eagerly prepare to once again meet in person (see you in Baltimore in August) we want to share our thoughts about what to expect and give you a behind-the-scenes tour of the efforts that go into putting the conference together.
We’ll start off with some of the more boring stuff – the meetings, the documents that get edited, the paperwork so to speak that sets everything in motion. To start with, we have to pick a location – the driving forces for that are costs (which include a variety of items, including the hotel rates), availability (while we can have the conference whenever we want, we have tried to keep it relatively consist – late August), accessibility (how easy or hard is it to get there), and if possible, interest (how much do we think our membership is interested in going to the locale). Our conference planning company, ARB, does most of the leg-work on this and reports to the Board about the details – and ultimately a contract is secured with a hotel venue.
Who knew what all goes into the contracting process – but we have to guarantee a minimum set of guest rooms will be used, a minimum in food and drink expenditures, and have to negotiate for the conference space (break-out rooms and plenary session rooms, exhibit hall, meeting space, etc.); the Board is just glad to have ARB handle so much of the behind the scenes work so that we can do our day jobs. The acquisition of a virtual conference platform was a new task for our 2020 conference and also brought with it a lot of angst about canceling our then-planned Louisville conference. In the end, the virtual conference was a success and brought us many lessons learned to the 2021 conference to have an even better experience.
But we are all ready to get back together in person…still a little nervous about planning for an in-person event with the uncertainty of the pandemic and state government budgets and travel restrictions. So the planning takes a bit of a hybrid approach – plan for an in-person conference, include a partial virtual conference experience (something that isn’t the same as the in-person conference but is still a good value for our members who can’t attend in person and to supplement the in-person attendance), and be prepared in case we have to switch gears late in the game.
For planning purposes, the virtual component is expected to be a combination of live-streamed presentations/discussions/events that are occurring at the in-person conference along with recordings (of conference presentations) available on-demand after the session is concluded. All are available through the NAMPI conference platform. While the agenda is not set yet, the format is well in the works and scheduling includes an eye toward being sure that the most virtual-friendly sessions are available as promptly as possible for our virtual attendees.
But what is most exciting is the planning for us getting back together – in the same place, in person. In Baltimore. At the Marriott, Baltimore Waterfront. 700 Alicieanna Street is a great location right on the waterfront and within walking distance of shops and restaurants. The conference has been at this location in the past and it is not only a beautiful hotel with great meeting space, but there is just so much to do outside of the hotel as well. See the Visit Baltimore website for more information about your trip and things to do when you visit the area.
But what should you expect at the conference itself…besides the great views from the hotel….
Day 1: Sunday afternoon
The conference has historically started on Sunday afternoon and has a state PI focus – this year will be no different; or, maybe it will be somewhat different in that rather than just a state focus, it will be exclusively state sessions. We intend to kick things off with a pre-conference PI Director meeting starting at 12:30 (lunch included) and will roll right into the NAMPI Welcome. By having a state only focus we will be able to delve deeper into our issues right off the bat – from more time hearing directly from the NAMPI Board, to more collaboration within the Regions at the Regional Roundtable, to also include more engaging discussions among PI professionals from state only membership. We anticipate Sunday concluding with our traditional exhibit hall opening with the vendor booths and an opportunity to interact with one another in an informal setting to wrap up day 1.
Days 2 and 3: Monday and Tuesday
We will have two full days, filled with many sessions – both plenary and break-out sessions. By now the Call for Sessions has gone out and we are anxiously awaiting information about session ideas – and if you have an idea that you haven’t turned in, please turn it in or talk to your Regional Rep about your idea. Non-government potential presenters should either go through ARB (vendors have a variety of sponsorship opportunities that can include access to presentation slots) or contact their state PI partners (e.g., health plans or non-profit professional associations who are interested in presenting at our conference).
We are really emphasizing case studies – something that goes beyond a presentation about a particular topic by incorporating actual cases that relate to a topic or issue. By using these case examples, participants can better develop and apply the information to their efforts when they return home. We are also continuing to encourage presentation topics that relate to: how to build the investigative skills of program integrity personnel; audit-specific issues such as the use of statistical sampling, peer review requirements, and the unique skill sets particular to auditing – recognizing the distinction between investigations and audits. We are also seeking presentations that are geared toward laws or legal processes/procedures that are pertinent to PI Professionals. There is always a need for education on the fraud schemes that states are seeing — whether it’s the substantive schemes by provider types or services, or how the investigation of particular schemes is carried out – and highlighting successes or opportunities to improve are always welcome! We also continue to encourage sessions about partnerships – whether a discussion about overcoming hindrances or sustaining effective partnerships, we all know this isn’t a job that can be done alone. And finally, we do believe case studies about the COVID-19-related fraud schemes and how those have been detected, investigated, and prosecuted continues to be an essential topic for our conference.
Day 4: Wednesday morning
Day four is a day you don’t want to miss – this is not the day to slip out early to catch the earlier flight – instead, we will have some critical sessions on this day…we anticipate having updates from the states through the Regional Representatives that will allow our members to hear about the happenings around the country in program integrity. We will still have our traditional activities, including the NAMPI Business meeting and election of officers (Secretary and Treasurer) – the Regional Representatives make up the nominating committee and while we sure hope our current Secretary (Joan Senator, Massachusetts ) and Treasurer (Dawn Mock, North Dakota) will agree to stay on for another two years, others who are interested in being on the Board should talk to their PI Director and their Regional Representative. Other interactive/engaging sessions throughout the conference will culminate in information-sharing on this final day of the conference; a day you won’t want to miss!
When I (Lori Stiles, NAMPI Past-President, Idaho PI) went to my first conference in 1998, NAMPI was called NASO – National Association of Surveillance and Utilization Review Officials. The conference was in Bloomington, Minnesota, and for entertainment, we had a bus that took us to the Mall of America. NASO (and our vendors) sponsored a 2-3 hour boat ride one night up the Mississippi River. I was a new state PI employee and I learned a lot about program integrity and could hardly wait for my turn to go again but it didn’t happen for another 4 years! I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to learn new things each year from so many different states/vendors and network with so many great PI employees from across the nation.
Well, my (Kelly Bennet, NAMPI VP/Pres., Florida PI) first conference was in North Dakota (it had to be about twenty years ago) – the hotel was great, the largest and newest hotel at the time – complete with an indoor pool and water slide. And it was across the street from a mall so even though I was traveling, any back-to-school shopping needs were easily tackled. It was much smaller than the more recent conferences, but the concept was the same – a great opportunity to meet and collaborate with your PI colleagues in person; to discuss issues in an informal setting – like over coffee or a meal – and to make connections to help you when you return to your home state. The off-site evening activities were a little different then, but there was still one bigger event that everyone attended. In great North Dakota fashion, it was a pitchfork fondue. A great steak cooked in a very unique fashion. Among my many recollections from that conference were the opportunities to bond with work colleagues that I was able to travel with, meet in-person with many very experienced PI professionals (I was a newbie at the time), meet with CMS subject matter experts on then-timely topics such as the roll-out of National Provider Identifier, and meet many vendors with available products and solutions that we had never considered.