By Karen Hooven, BSN, RN, CRRN, CCM
Have you ever wanted to be a part of something? Something big? To be a “mover and a shaker”? To have a voice and speak up? To be involved?
I attended the CMSA conference in June and was inspired to join a committee. I wanted to be involved and make a difference, and I’m hoping you feel the same way. I joined the membership committee. As Vice Chair of this committee, I hope to be a “mover and a shaker” and grow our membership!
The membership committee met recently to discuss goals for the coming year, including membership growth. Our chapters are an integral part of this. One example is the Cleveland Chapter of CMSA (I am the current president), which is planning a sponsor thank you event in October to confirm and recruit sponsorships for our meetings for the coming year. Our goal is to grow our membership by having more robust chapter meetings with the money sponsors commit. We plan to offer different levels of membership with specific benefits and pricing. I’m unsure how this will turn out, but we will try!
Are you on social media? If not, make this a priority. Set up a LinkedIn profile ASAP. Start reacting to the LinkedIn comments you receive. You can send out resources and information on CMSA and your chapters via LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
What are your ideas to grow membership? At the CPC meeting in August, the NY Chapter discussed planning a huge event that is certain to grow its membership. What are other chapter initiatives for growing membership? Shoot me an email which I will then share with the membership committee.
The membership committee will follow-up on suggestions and ideas submitted by the members and chapters. One area worth exploring is to identify barriers in joining? There are thousands of businesses and agencies that employ case managers. Let’s entice Companies/facilities and case managers to join CMSA and belong to “something big”! To help us forge innovative ideas and changes in the case management arena.
There are so many benefits in being a member of CMSA. CMSA is a national organization that supports and advocates for case managers in all work settings. The benefits of membership are boundless and include:
- Gaining access to CEU’s
- Networking and developing a contact list of potential businesses to interact with
- Forming new friendships
- Joining a network of professionals with the same goals and objectives
- Speaking up on policies and procedures, education, and research
Where else can you have access to over 150 free CEs? CMSA offers the latest and greatest on research, healthcare policy and models of case management! Plus, CMSA membership provides availability to multiple resources and networking!
Remember that new members bring new networking opportunities, which translates into new friendships and resources. New members bring hope and vitality to all chapters, but especially to those chapters that may be in need of invigoration.
Please consider jumping on the Membership bandwagon to recruit (and retain) our members.
Join us in growing our membership by sharing your ideas and initiatives.
Feel free to contact any of the membership committee members, including myself, or our Chair, Marianne DiMola, through the CMSA Membership Directory.
Go to cmsa.org for resources on how to grow our membership, nationally, internationally, and locally.
Thank you and happy recruiting.
Join us in being a part of SOMETHING BIG WITH CMSA!
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Bio: Karen Hooven, RN, BSN, CRRN, CCM, is the manager of the Care Management Department at Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital. She has over 25 years of case management experience in acute and Rehabilitation. She is the co-founder of the Cleveland Chapter of CMSA, now 8 years old, and is the chapter's current president.