[1]Agenda for Conference Call – May 16, 2007Minutes to the Regional Development and Membership Committee Conference Call
Date: 06/27/2007 Start Time: 2:00 CST
In AttendanceParticipants:
Patrick Lukacs
Kathy Canny
Dennis Kasper
Emily Osetek
[2]Bill Carns
Brad Lund
Paul Myers
Kyle Shupe
Diane Kennedy
Cindy Rounds
Gail Sunshine
Michelle Botanao
Minutes:
1. Patrick welcomed Dennis Kasper as the Chair of the Southwest Region. Dennis is the President / Owner of Kasper Management based in San Antonio, Texas. Dennis is a visible member within HBMA to whom we are excited to have replace Patrick Lukacs as regional chair for the Southwest Region. Welcome aboard Dennis!
2. The committee reviewed the status of the regional meetings. Gail Sunshine communicated that the schedule for the regional meetings has been posted on the website and that an agenda will soon be created and posted as well. Gail will report the status of vendor participation during our next meeting. Paul Myers confirmed that plans were firm with SkillPath for the educational content. Paul will communicate the status of Brad Lund’s efforts in securing a CMS speaker for the regional meetings.
The dates and locations for the regional meetings are as follows:
Southeast Region – Friday, October 5, 2007 – Atlanta, GA (Airport) Embassy Suites
Northeast Region – Tuesday, October 9, 2007 – Baltimore, MD (Airport) Four Points Sheraton BWI
Great Lakes Region – Thursday, October 11, 2007 – Chicago, Illinois (Airport) -
3. The committee reviewed recently published membership statistics by ISAM which indicates that HBMA has 72 new members for the fiscal year, though HBMA has lost 67 members, resulting in a net gain of five members.
The committee had several questions and requests of Michelle Botano for additional information related to the lost members. Michelle has agreed to provide enhancements to the reported data to include; 1)Member changes based on fee ranges so that both counts and membership revenue gains and losses can be measured, 2)tracking the reasons former members provide for not renewing, and 3) comparing monthly and YTD membership number countsand revenue to budgeted numbers based on budgeted categories.
With this information the committee will know more about the tenure of non-renewing members, company size, and membership classification. The committee will utilize this information to develop strategies to enhance membership retention.
It appears that Michelle’s involvement in timely contacting members is resulting in an increase in renewals, though more time and data will confirm trends.
The committee discussed the creation of a new member packet and the timing of its delivery. It was decided that a new member packet would best be delivered upon finalizing the application process as opposed to the new member breakfasts during the two national conferences.
The committee decided that a new member packet would be mailed following the introductory e-mail provided by Michelle. This packet will contain a welcome letter similar in content to the one sent via e-mail. The most recent copy of billing will be enclosed as well as a calendar of upcoming events.
The committee decided that the introduction of a new membershould be tracked through their first renewal with planned follow up mailings and e-mail contacts from the regional chairs throughout their first year of membership. Ideas which solidified during the call include; 1) the mailing of a certification application after the new member’s first conference with a cover letter indicating their progress toward achieving hours for CHBME or CBMA certifications, 2) a freebie upon their first renewal which could include a free web-cast, 3) an introductory contact from the region chair which may also be submitted to other members within the region submitted in standardized formats from the national office, and 4) ongoing communications from the regional chairs throughout the year.
Kathy Canny suggested the development of policies and procedures for the regional chairs to better communicate what their roles are and what is expected of them. Each regional chair will submit their thoughtson what should be in this document to Patrick via e-mail. Patrick agreed to consolidate these thoughts and place this on the agenda of our next conference call.
The committee discussed the existing membership classifications which may currently exclude certain interested parties from joining HBMA. A situation was raised where an instructor for trade school was interested in joining. The committee believes that this individual could join as either an affiliate member or as a vendor affiliate.
The committee also discussed the existing classifications which lead to the exclusion of a prospective member who serves the capacity of a billing manager or administrator of a medical practice. The committee discussed proposing to the BODa new classification which would allow such a membership categoryto exist and proposing a membership rate similar to that for an affiliate member. The committee is currently not in consensus as to whether or not a new classification should be created to allow who is considered as a prospective client into HBMA.
The committee does appear to be in consensus that a major focus of the membership committee should be related to the recruitment (and retention) of third party medical billing companies, and an expanded focus on prospective affiliate members as well as vendor affiliates.
The committee will continue to discuss expanding membership classifications.
4. Due to time constraints the committee deferred the discussion of the survey questions to non-members for the next committee call. Bill Carns communicated that an opportunity exists to utilize the member application for survey questions.
1. Welcome Dennis Introduction Kasper - of New ISAM Staff Member
1.
Michelle Botana will be supporting our committee. Her background is ….
Brad, Michelle, and I discussed committee objectives on a conference call this past week. Now that our involvement in planning the regional meetings is minimized, we are able to begin working on these other objectives on behalf of our organization. As was mentioned on our last call, Michelle will be assisting in the non-renewal reporting as well as the state web pages. – President and Owner of Kasper Management based in San Antonio, Texas. Dennis is a visible member within HBMA to whom I am excited to have replace my previous responsibility or regional chair for the Southwest Region. Welcome aboard Dennis!
2. Regional Meetings
Confirmed Dates
Confirmed Locations
Confirmed Meeting Schedule
Confirmed Content
Confirmed Content Speaker
Pending a CMS Representative Speaker- Brad will work to obtain for us.
Proposed Vendors submitted to ISAM
Southeast Region – Friday, October 5, 2007 – Atlanta, GA (Airport) Embassy Suites
Northeast Region – Tuesday, October 9, 2007 – Baltimore, MD (Airport) Four Points Sheraton BWI
Great Lakes Region – Thursday, October 11, 2007 – Chicago, Illinois (Airport) -
Update from Gail on Locations or Vendors.
Vendor Door Prize Drawing at the end of day!
Update from Paul on SkillPath relationship.
Other Committee Issues will be focus of our efforts for the remainder of the year and include:
3. Membership Growth and Retention
Brad and Michelle have begun tracking and reporting new members and non renewing members in a staff report to the Board.
We have 72 new members for the year, though we have 67 non-renewing members for a net new members of 5.
The report also details non-renewing members and the diligent efforts by Michelle in attempting to contact these companies.
Brad – Can this information be shared with the committee monthly as well? Also, can we add the budgeted number of new members/non-renewals as well as the member-revenue numbers to the report?
Brad / Michelle – Can you categorize and quantify the major reasons for the loss of members?Membership growth and retention and State Initiatives
Membership Growth and Retention.
Patrick has requested of Michelle and Brad to provide historical data related to our membership numbers to include new members and non-renewing member numbers.
Once provided to each of you, I believe we will be more empowered to assist in growing HBMA membership.
a. New Member Categories/Modification of Existing Category
Ex: Instructor for a trade school called ‘Career Centers of Texas” in Fort Worth, Texas who would like to join. After printing the on-line application she sought clarification by e-mailing HBMA since the application states the need to be a third party medical billing company.
Recall last month’s story of the Radiology group interested in joining.
Should we propose a membership category for those interested in joining who are not third party medical billing companies
Current Categories:
Principal
Satellite
Vendor Affiliate
Associate
Affiliate
New Member Packet:
One of the strategic objectives for our committee is to develop a new member packet to replace new member breakfast changing the breakfast to a meet and greet?
Or
Packet to be mailed to new members as new member breakfast speaking part was condensed to 10 minutes?
What should be in this packet?
See Michelle’ Introductory Letter (New)
Andy Kokosa’s committee is developing a Media Kit. It will include logos for our members to put on business cards, letterhead, etc. It will also include “cut and paste” articles, talking points about HB<A and Case Studies and Statistics.
Other Ideas:
CHBME / CBMA Materials
HBMA Sponsored White Papers (Within 2 Years)
Technology Task Force Paper
Survey results of a pertinent and recent survery
Calendar of upcoming events
Annual Meetings
All ancillary conferences
Webcasts, etc.
Past DVD (Sample) of previous educational event - webcast
b. Survey to non-members
Review Brad’s survey questions
Survey to the current market of non-members. (HBMA has a marketing list which contains about (1,800 companies). This mailing list is currently utilized to market our educational items such as conferences, O&M Meetings, Compliance Course, Etc.
We want to survey them to find out why they have not joined and need survey questions?
i. Also want thoughts on a reward system to promote responses?
5. Patrick communicated that he will send a worksheet which has been developed which contains the current state representative list to each region chair with a proposed e-mail message to communicate how we would like to utilize the state representatives; formation of regional committees comprised of state representatives, quarterly conference call, assistance in gathering data for state web pages, needs to complete the states, etc.
6. Patrick thanked everyone for their great participation, ideas, and contributions during the conference call!
The call was adjourned at approximately 3:00 CST
Region Committees and State Initiatives
Would each region chair reach out to the volunteers for their states.
I will send the current state representative list to each of you with a proposed e-mail message to communicate how we would like to utilize the state representatives; formation of regional committees comprised of state representatives, quarterly conference call, assistance in gathering data for state web pages, needs to complete the states, etc.
Prior to this information being made available we would like input on two items.
Survey to the current market of non-members. (HBMA has a marketing list which contains about (1,800 companies). This mailing list is currently utilized to market our educational items such as conferences, O&M Meetings, Compliance Course, Etc.
We want to survey them to find out why they have not joined and need survey questions?
Also want thoughts on a reward system to promote responses?
Thoughts on allowing as members interested companies who are not 3rd party medical billing companies, though would benefit from HBMA offerings. Ex: Radiology group with in-house billing
State Initiatives
We currently have 14 volunteers for 26 states. We also have two individuals.
Todd Gillis – Could he be the Illinois state rep?
Workplan:
Overview of workplan as discussion point for next meeting as most of the Region meeting work is shifting to ISAM, via Paul and Gail
State contacts:
What do we do with them? Should they become committee members to the Region Chairs? How do we add value to HBMA through their volunteerism?
State Web Pages:
Level 1 Fulfillment
Load the websites for each state Medicare, Medicaid, and BCBS website on the HBMA Website.
Level 2 Fulfillment
Loadother items.