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AHP Pacific Regional News
The AHP Pacific Region Conference, June 22-24, was very successful on all fronts. We had the highest attendance in three years, 142 registered. We brought in more than $18,000 in unbudgeted revenue, and the evaluations were very positive. We shortened the conference to a day and a half (which worked very well), and added a leadership forum under Jon Olson’s, FAHP, direction, which attracted senior leaders who had not attended AHP Pacific Region conferences in the past. Our Thanks To …
The conference is another testament to the wonderful volunteers who are members of AHP. Conference 2004 Roundtable and AHP Hawaii Caucus Update Plans for fall and winter Roundtables other AHP Pacific region states are underway. Membership Update Foundation Update
Last June was a great month for our colleagues who attended the AHP Pacific Regional Conference in San Diego. This informative and highly successful conference attracted 138 attendees-the highest number in the past 5 years. The efforts of an outstanding conference committee resulted in impressive educational tracks which were both stimulating and well received. Many thanks to Claudia Looney, FAHP, who graciously agreed to be our Education Chair and to Track Deans, Bill Littlejohn, Janet DeWolfe, CFRE, Jon Olson, FAHP, and Gary Steinhauer. A heartfelt note of appreciation also goes to Jim Bowers, Ph.D., and David Gillig, FAHP, who chaired another extraordinary Primer session. Roundtable Chair Beth Morgante’s, CFRE, varied and creative topics for discussion groups inspired animated conversations and dialogue among participants. It was wonderful to look around the room and see so many intense discussions taking place. Cliff Hoffman and Laura Rehrman, CFRE, recruited many generous sponsors which kept budgeting challenges at a minimum. Our remarkable Hospitality Chair, Tracy Richey, CFRE, organized the highlight event of the conference. Wonderful Hawaiian-style food followed by fabulous native, island entertainment concluded an already wonderful conference. A big solute to Meghan Pitzer who did an amazing job as our AHP staff liaison. The collective efforts of the committee, the presenters, vendors and sponsors resulted in a wonderful event and has created a new standard for AHP conferences. Thanks to everyone who participated for making this conference such a great success.
How do I know when to kick-off an employee campaign? Timing - is everything! Choose your timing based on your health care institutions cycle of annual activities as well as any events that might impact employee’s interest, time or moral. Union negotiations, safety campaigns, accreditation inspection periods are examples of periods to avoid. Holiday periods, special events and summer time are also challenging periods to vie for employee’s time. Face-to-Face Employee Campaigns typically take nine months from planning through execution (recruitment, training, kick-off, 4-6 weeks of campaigning and victory). What is the best way to assemble the committee? Recruitment -Quality leadership sets the stage for success. Conducting a preliminary study to evaluate employee moral, interest in the campaign’s case and identification of potential leadership positions employee campaigns well. Discover through your fellow employees which employees are liked and respected by a broad range of employees. Select employees from all departments focusing on staff at all levels in the organization with an emphasis on mid and entry-level positions. A carefully designed and executed recruitment strategy will maximize the opportunity to reach the highest percentage of employees. The second fundamental principle of recruitment is to invite and orient prospective employee volunteers respectfully and professionally. Explain clearly what the responsibilities of involvement are and provide them with support materials such as a campaign brochure, job description, campaign schedule and organizational chart. Everybody always thinks employee campaigns are a drag. How do we change that? Fun - Set a campaign theme and make every event a social and enjoyable experience. Treat your employees as special guests and the VIP’s that they are. Employee campaigns are an opportunity to enhance moral and build fellowship that provides additional benefits for your organization. Plus "a little good clean fun" goes a long way in helping people feel appreciated, want to participate and follow through with what they are being asked to do. What’s the best way to say thanks? Recognition - Show your appreciation to every employee that contributes with a special token gift, regardless of gift size. Post in employee communal area, a tasteful display listing all employees’ names that have contributed, also without categorizing by gift size. Acknowledge every employee contributor with personal letters from hospital administration, foundation personnel and campaign leadership. Hold a celebration party at the conclusion of the campaign at an offsite location if possible and invite every volunteer, employee donor and campaign leadership and celebrate the campaign’s accomplishments whether you achieve goal or not. Contributing Authors:
By Paulette Pasciuti I have attended a number of conferences, and have even chaired a couple of international conferences but I have NEVER been to one quite like the AHP Conference in San Diego. Being at a ‘career crossroad’ and contemplating making a change, I found that my attendance at this conference presented possibilities that I had never even envisioned! I attended the Primer session before the conference actually started. I arrived to find a completely stuffed five-inch binder and a slate of speakers that could have carried the whole conference on their own. These presenters were the experts in the industry who were given less than an hour to present what they usually teach in a week. The value I got out of this session was worth the entire cost of the conference. I took my binder and went directly to the reception. Everyone was so friendly. Never before have I attended a function in which so many people reached out to me. The vendors were also fabulous. The displayed their products and wares in a very professional manner and engaged attendees in informative and stimulating conversations. I carried my binder back to my room and started reading it. WOW! This was filled with more great information. I had to turn the light out at midnight in order to get enough sleep to be bright and chipper the next day. The sessions I attended on Monday and Tuesday were fabulous. Standing room only for many of the sessions and most of them were completely full. There were so many great tracks; it was hard to decide which one to attend. But I learned that all presenters were engaging speakers so it would have been impossible to make a poor selection! No ho hum speaker to be found. The Westin Hotel, (a great location) is a wonderful hotel which effectively accommodated all parts of a very well run conference. The highlight of the conference was the Hawaiian/Tropical affair on Monday night. Everyone got leis and dressed up for the event. This provocative entertainment included male and female dancers who entertained us with energetic and graceful performances. After this evening I knew this was an organization that I wanted to be associated. I retired to my room, signed on to my computer, and registered for membership. Please accept my deepest thanks and appreciation to everyone for making this a wonderful experience for me.
Helpful hints and suggestions from friends and colleagues all over the region are listed below. Feel free to use any or all of these tips! Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The tools available through AHP to enhance our learning and assist us in doing a better job in raising the resources necessary to provide high quality health care are varied, interesting and very easy to access. In particular, the staff at Sun Health Foundation has become quite enamoured with the AHP Audioconferences! Some of our newest and a few of our most experienced fundraising staff attend these conferences and come away with a renewed sense of commitment to their profession. Further, in addition to the clarification of challenging topics, new ideas percolate up and surface during post conference discussions. We have come to appreciate these educational opportunities for committee members, board members, other volunteers and staff. Just last week, we have the opportunity to include our compliance officer and her assistant in the presentation on HIPAA. Audioconferencing provides a convenient and cost-effective opportunity to learn from our colleagues. *as submitted by Pamela K. Meyerhoffer, CFRE, FAHP, Exec. VP & CEO, Sun Health Foundation.
as shared by Jim Lambert at the Regional Conference "Cultivate a donor….and create a member of your sales force"
As Resource Information and Communications Chair for the Pacific Region of AHP, it has certainly been an interesting experience collecting the articles contained in this newsletter. Our exceptionally talented colleagues throughout the Region not only authored these contributed columns and articles, they cheerfully agreed to do this in addition to their already hectic schedules. Many thanks to Laura, Marsha, Gary, Lois, Connie, Paulette, Pamela and Jim. If you have something you would like to read about, write about, talk about, or think about, please let me know at gina.griesman@sunhealth.org and we will be happy to accept your suggestions, contributions and articles. Gina W. Griesman
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