Professional organizations are common amongst all occupations. It doesn't matter what your job is, there is surely an association you can join. In your job as a healthcare administrator you have several associations that you can choose from. These organizations are good for getting people that have similar interests together so they can share knowledge and the experiences that they have had in the healthcare administration field. This transfer of knowledge used to be through meetings and other educational sessions. Now with the internet, gaining access to the knowledge you need is as simple as logging into a member's section of one of these organizations.
Join an Association
You may have asked yourself, why should I join an association? There are several reasons to join an association. To a potential employer, the fact that you belong to and participate in a professional organization is a good indication that you are serious about learning and exceeding in your career field. As a member of the healthcare administration workforce, belonging to an association keeps you up-to-date with the ever changing legislative landscape of healthcare.
What Associations Can I Join?
There are multiple organizations of different sizes and that have different goals. All of these associations are focused on different segments of the healthcare administration field. The key is to find the organization that is the perfect fit for you and your career goals.
American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
This is the largest of the healthcare administration organizations with 40,000 members. It focuses primarily on those healthcare administrators that are CEOs or on a track to become a CEO.
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)
This is another rather large organization. It has around 33,000 members who are typically group practice managers. With such a large number of members, it has resources available that smaller associations do not have.
American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM)
This organization specializes in the support of healthcare administrators that work on the financial side of the field. Revenue Cycle management has become a hot topic with recent changes in healthcare laws. This organization is a great resource for those types of administrators.
Professional Association of Health Care Management (PAHCOM)
Even small physician practices need healthcare administrators. This organization supports healthcare administrators that are in charge of small single or small group physician practices.
American College of Healthcare Administrators (ACHCA)
This organization specializes in promoting leadership in administrators of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. It has resources that are geared specifically towards those looking at being an administrator at one of these facilities or that are currently an administrator at one.
Association for Healthcare Administrative Professionals (AHCAP)
This organization is dedicated to the support of healthcare administration professionals who act as administrative assistants to top level healthcare executives. It has resources to assist in the transition from an assistant to higher level jobs in the field.
Can I Afford to Join?
Just as every organization has different segments that they focus on, they also have different membership fees. The membership fees start as low as $35 for a student membership with the Medical Group Management Association. The fees also go as high as $380 for a professional membership with the Medical Management Association. The other associations have fees that range in between the low and high depending on the type of membership you are wanting. There are also some organizations like the American College of Healthcare Executives that base the dues on the member getting raises and/or moving up the career ladder.
No matter what your healthcare administration specialty is or your budget, there are several options when it comes to joining an association. Just remember to take the time to look at what they have to offer and make sure that it aligns with your career path goals.
References
(n.d.). Retrieved May 2014, from Association for Healthcare Administrative Professionals: http://ahcap.org/about-us
About ACHCA. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2014, from American College of Health Care Administrators: http://www.achca.org/index/php/about-achca
About ACHE. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2014, from American College of Healthcare Executives: http://www.ache.org
About Medical Practice Management. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2014, from Medical Group Management Association: http://www.mgma.com/about/about-mgma/about-medical-practice-management
About Us: Who We Are. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2014, from American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management: http://www.aaham.org/aboutus/whoweare.aspx
Membership Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2014, from Professional Association of Healthcare Office Management: http://www.pahcom.com/membership/member-benefits.html
John Tune is a healthcare professional and a freelance writer. He has worked in the healthcare field for over 14 years. John knows healthcare management and how to succeed in the field. He started working as a unit secretary in an Emergency Room and through hard work and education he worked his way up to being a member of the hospital leadership team. Google+ Profile
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