Invest in your future by earning the Certified Healthcare Administrative Professional (cHAP) designation!

We know you are truly dedicated professionals, and we want you to receive ample recognition for your skills, knowledge, and commitment to the healthcare profession. Are you seeking opportunities for meaningful professional development? Do you want your colleagues, current and prospective employers to know that you are among the top in your field? As the economy evolves, do you want to distinguish yourself positively from your competitors? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, submit your application to sit for the cHAP certification exam! The cHAP certification program addresses the desired objectives of healthcare administrative professionals, including:

- Enabling competent, knowledgeable, and forward-thinking healthcare administrative professionals to distinguish themselves in the eyes of peers and employers;
- Advancing higher standards of professionalism and education, enhancing the value of your position and professional contributions;
- Maintaining an examination that measures a core body of knowledge shared by the most competent professionals in the field;
- Promoting portable evidence of professional healthcare administration throughout the United States;
- Supporting continuing professional development to assist certificants in staying current with trends and impending changes in healthcare.

If you're ready to make this important investment in your career, visit www.ahaahap.org for details on earning the cHAP certification.

Click here for the cHAP application

Click here for additional cHAP information

Healthcare Administrative Professionals: Making the Difference in Healthcare is a week set aside to honor the administrative professionals who ensure the seamless running of healthcare facilities.

This important job is so often a thankless one - but during National Healthcare Administrative Professionals Week you have the opportunity to publicly thank your staff for the critical role they play at your hospital.

Show your appreciation by presenting those individuals with a token of your gratitude. Visit http://jimcolemanltd.com/ap to view the wonderful HCAP Week items available.

When you purchase these products directly from Jim Coleman, Ltd. a portion of the proceeds supports the work of AHAP. These purchases make a real difference in helping AHAP develop stronger member benefits for you.

Healthcare Administrative Professionals Week 2007: Making the Difference in Healthcare

Order online at: http://jimcolemanltd.com/ap

Congratulations to the newly appointed 2007 - 2008 Advisory Council members:

Shirley Church
Executive Assistant
Westview Medical Campus
Indianapolis, IN

Betty Barber
Executive Assistant
Regional Medical Center
Orangeburg, SC

Congratulations to the newly appointed Advisory Council 2007 - 2008 Chair-elect:

Dianne Fredsell
Assistant to the President
Children's Hospital and Rehabilitation Center
Utica, NY

Each will be spotlighted in the next issue of Notations, released in March.

Register for the 2007 conference by Friday February 23 and you will receive the best rate of $425 as well as two pre-conferences free of charge (a $150 value!). After February 23, while still a great value, the registration rate increases to $500 and pre-conference sessions will be $75.

Register Today!

Go to the conference page for the latest information on the conference and take a look at the program-at-a-glance so you can plan your stay in the Golden State!

AHAP members can look forward to great sessions such as: Succession Planning, Board Governance, Effective Public Relations Communications, Strengthening Relationships, Improving Results and more! The complete conference brochure will be online in a couple weeks.

The AHAP Award of Distinction is designed to distinguish and honor members whose contributions and/or accomplishments advance the professionalism of health care administrative support.

Any AHAP member in good standing is eligible to receive the AHAP Award of Distinction. (Current members of the AHAP Advisory Council are ineligible for nomination.)  You are encouraged to nominate yourself or a peer by filling out the nomination form.

Click here to download the Award of Distinction packet. - The deadline for application is April 28, 2007

Click here for more information

The Fifth Annual Scholarship Fundraising Committee (formerly named Silent Auction) of the Association of Healthcare Administrative Professionals is being held in conjunction with the 2007 annual conference.

You can support this event by:
- Donating items for the scholarship raffle
- Soliciting donations from merchants, artists, manufacturers... even your hospital's gift shop
- Purchasing items at the scholarship raffle

While there is no obligation for any member to donate an item, the more participation, the more fun it will be and the more financial support we can give to the AHAP Scholarship Program. The auction revenue provides the sole funding for scholarships that helps your deserving colleagues and fellow members of AHAP attend conference.

Click here for more details and a donation form.

The Advisory Council recently voted on two changes to the AHAP Bylaws. The wording of Section 6.1 was unclear, so it has been cleaned up to reflect actual practice. Section 6.1 now states that the Advisory Council will consist of no less than five and no more than nine members, one of whom may be a representative from a national, state, or metropolitan health care association. There will be a total of eight voting members and one non-voting ad hoc member at the Council's discretion. Also, Section X has been added to include how amendments are made to the Bylaws.

Please use the following link if you wish to review the current Bylaws in their entirety:  http://www.ahaahap.org/ahaahap/aboutus/bylaws.html

Jeanie Brandon
Chair, Bylaws Task Force

Did you know that AHAP has activated a new committee this year? The Sponsorship Committee is comprised of your peers Elisha DeNeal, Linda Kutinac, Rhonda Miles, Julia Paige, Tina Parrent and Carol Rose. This dynamic group has assembled a list of potential exhibitors and prospective sponsors for financial contributions to AHAP to help enhance our annual conference. Letters have been sent along with a copy of the AHAP prospectus to over 200 firms and individuals. Monies of support are not coming in quite as quickly as we hoped, but we will soon be engaging in a follow up campaign and if no financial support is gained this year, they'll be much more familiar with us come next year!

If you have a relationship with a vendor or representative that may be willing to support you and your professional organization, please let one of the committee members or the AHA staff know so we can either make contact with them or assist you in doing so on behalf of AHAP.

Linda Kutinac
Sponsorship Committee Co-chair