A view from AAHPM consultant – Dale Lupu
There are really three conferences going on here at the AAHPM/HNPA annual assembly. I think most of you can readily identify two of them: the formal program as laid out in the program book, and the informal networking that occurs in the halls, restaurants, and standing in line to buy books. My own experience, and I’m sure many of you share this, is that the formal program is only the start of the learning. It’s those smaller hall and restaurant conversations with a few colleagues (both old friends and those just met) where many memorable pearls are shared. And where the feeling of support – “you mean I’m not the only one experiencing this?” – is stoked.
But this year, I haven’t had time to delve as deeply as I would like into either of those two conferences, because I am attending a third. This third conference involves about 200+ Academy members who have been working all year on the 26 committees that have been charged with advancing the five major goals of the Academy’s strategic plan. The work that has already been accomplished by these committees is inspiring. That’s good, because we will need the inspiration to tackle the work still to be done.
Committee members conduct their work throughout the year via conference call and email. The annual assembly gives committee and task force members an opportunity to get into the same room, meet each other, reflect together, brainstorm, plan for the next year. Yesterday all of the SIG committee chairs gathered – the first time they have all been a room together (as SIG chairs). Today, I’ll be staffing the Academic Task Force chaired by Christine Ritchie, the Business Practices Task Force co-chaired by Chuck Wellman and Parag Bharadwaj, and the quality & Practice Standards Task Force chaired by Sydney Dy. Other committee chairs and members with their assigned staff person will also be meeting. Feel free to stop any of us and ask us to tell you about what we’re working on.
If you are interested in serving on a committee, visit the AAHPM page “membership/getting involved.”