HFMA’s Chapters go virtual with a series of webinars and a newsletter launch

HFMA Chapters have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering creative virtual events and happy hours hosted during the pandemic’s stay-at-home mandate.

In a continuation from the summer edition of hfm, two additional Chapters shared unique ways to connect virtually with members during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Massachusetts-Rhode Island Chapter

Deb Schoenthaler, Massachusetts-Rhode Island Chapter president 2020-21, and executive director of Physician Performance LLC and Affiliated Physicians Inc. in Woburn, Massachusetts, shared what the Chapter has been up to in the past few months. Here are two examples: 

Arranged a series of webinars with one platinum sponsor, where the focus was on COVID-19 regulatory updates and financial reporting requirements. This not only fulfilled their educational mission, but it also was a boost for sponsorship. The webinar link was also made available to those who could not attend on the actual webinar dates.

Moved their mini-LTC gathering of Board and Committee Chairs to a Zoom meeting. At this gathering, the team brainstormed about what their 2020-21 year would look like and how they could reconfigure their education and social events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chapter’s Women’s Leadership Conference and Wine Dinner/Awards Night planned for this past spring were postponed. During their mini-LTC, the Chapter brainstormed how the events will take place, possibly in a different way and later in the year.

“Our Wine Dinner/Awards Night is to me one of our most important events we hold, as that is the time that we honor our volunteers for all of their hard work [for] the Chapter,” said Schoenthaler. “Because our normal celebration might be delayed, we are also working on other ways to show our appreciation now, such as [hosting] a virtual social gathering and [developing] social media posts that highlight our award winners.”

The Chapter along with its other Region 1 Chapters, Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire-Vermont, came up with an innovative idea of sharing a Zoom account to help the Chapter manage costs. Schoenthaler said the benefits of the shared account not only are fiscally helpful, but also will allow each Chapter to manage all of the calendars so events can be planned so they will not overlap.

Tennessee Chapter

The Tennessee Chapter launched its first digital monthly newsletter, Tennessee Tracker, in June 2020. The newsletter highlights include a letter from the Chapter president, Chapter leadership input and news about upcoming events and webinars.

“I felt that proactive communication is [of] paramount value [for the] engagement of our members, so we launched the Tennessee Tracker,” said Buffy Loveday, CRCR, Tennessee Chapter president 2020-21, and vice president of strategic development at CarePayment Technologies in Nashville, Tennessee. “It will have monthly interviews with sponsor partners, healthcare provider leaders and much more.”

The Chapter also hosts a webinar every second Tuesday of the month.