Many companies encourage membership within a professional organization. They bring the opportunity to gain certifications, attend conferences, and obtain educational material. Healthrise, for example, promotes professional development through a career enhancement program where you are enabled, through a fund, to choose how you want to develop professionally.
The organization I’ve chosen to partner with is the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). “HFMA empowers healthcare financial professionals with the tools and resources they need to overcome today’s toughest challenges. From online education and certifications to critical regulatory analysis, the benefits of membership are designed to help you create a sustainable future for your organization.” I was encouraged to join HFMA during college and continue to be an active member in my professional career through Healthrise’s Enterprise Membership. It’s never been just about being a member for me but being actively involved.
Exposure
Gaining exposure to the operations of an organization is one benefit of being more involved. You get the opportunity to interact and learn from professionals in the industry and see the business functions of the organization. In my experience, this exposure has been leadership calls, board meetings, and leadership conferences at the organization level. It has also been exposure to individuals with different professions, at different levels within their career, and interacting as colleagues and business partners. This exposure provides insight that you can take forward into building your own career and has been an asset for me.
Leadership Development
You do not have to be deep into your career to hold a leadership role. Organizations often offer internal roles at many levels that pull in diverse individuals. My involvement provided me the opportunity to hold a student chair position, implement a mentorship program, lead the student committee, and now hold a chair position in the chapter. Each of these roles has taught me something new and influenced my development as a leader.
Relationship Building
There are several networking events that encourage relationship building including celebrations, mentorship programs, charity events, and more. These allow for the development of relationships that go beyond being a member of the same organization. Mentorship programs, for example, connect individuals of different ages and backgrounds. They promote the development of a personal relationship with another professional and provide students and early careerists with the chance to learn from another.
If not offered on a local level, many professional organizations offer mentorship programs nationally. Of the mentors I have had in my life, some were developed through the mentorship program while others I met through varying HFMA interactions and events. Both instances have provided guidance, direction, and continued relationships that I have taken forward beyond the mentorship period.
Opportunities
As I shared, there are many opportunities in being a member such as educational and leadership conferences, but being involved provides opportunities beyond those. From minimal commitment to several hours a week, you can curate your experiences and make the opportunity what you want it to be. In my experience, the more you invest, the more opportunities present themselves and the further you can develop. From a certification, mentors, chances to lead, career change, and many more, the opportunities have been endless. Since starting at Healthrise, my opportunities have been increased by the career enhancement program. This program has enabled my attendance at several conferences, locally and nationally, as well as the maintenance of my certifications through both HFMA and AHIMA.
Joining HFMA as a student opened many doors and opportunities for me that continue to expand. Not only have I been able to build on all the aspects above, but I also stepped into my career more prepared and exposed to what an analyst position in revenue cycle means. I was able to network with my current team members before I was part of the team. Those relationships provided me the opportunities to mentor and transition to different roles within HFMA.
Conclusion
While HFMA is at the top of my recommendations for an organization to get involved in, there are many others that also encourage growth in young professionals by teaching them what I have mentioned and guiding them in their career. Students, early careerists, and seasoned professionals alike can benefit and develop through involvement. It is important to leverage the benefits your company offers through Enterprise memberships or professional development funds, so consider exploring your benefits. Joining a professional organization isn’t just about meeting company requirements or adding something to your resume, it is a positive way to grow yourself, your career, and establish a network to assist in finding key talent to bring to your company.
Healthrise takes growth seriously- whether that be through the professional development of our people or by helping our clients’ organizations thrive. Are you interested in connecting with Healthrise to learn more about how we can benefit your health system? Schedule a meeting and connect with our experts today!
Author: Veronica Roth, Epic Analyst, Revenue Cycle Management, Healthrise
