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By Shelley R. Wells, BAS, BS, RT(R)(CT)
I don’t know about you, but this is the time of year when I begin to get restless with anticipation. The warm, sunny skies with temperatures in the 80’s, and the end of school for my kids, are sure indicators that summer is right around the corner. This can only mean one thing – AHRA’s Annual Meeting and Exposition is drawing closer. It’s my favorite time of the year where I can reconnect with my AHRA family and reignite the spark in my professional career.
This year the meeting will be in Denver, Colorado amongst the beautiful Rocky Mountains at the newest Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center and we invite all current and aspiring leaders to come “Rockin’ in the Rockies” at our 47th Annual Meeting and Exposition. This expansive Gaylord resort will amaze you as the facility was designed to meet all of your comfort, personal and convention needs. Likewise, your 2019 Annual Meeting Design Team has developed 4 full days of professional development sure to rock your socks off. Pre-registration is already at one of its highest levels in the past 10 years with representation from management at all levels of hospital imaging departments, freestanding imaging centers and group practices. You will not want to miss out on this incredible opportunity to network with your peers from around the country and even the world.
If you are still on the fence about whether or not to come, or you just don’t know if your organization will approve the education or travel expense, take a look at what is in store and see the value you will gain from attending. The Leadership Institute has been molding and shaping leaders for 13 years with offerings to new leaders through the basic track and more advanced sessions for seasoned leaders. For those pursuing their CRA credential, the CRA workshop focuses on the key areas of human resources, communications, operations management, asset management, finance and budgeting. In addition, there will be updates regarding new and existing regulations from Washington, ACR and The Joint Commission, that you will not want to miss. Furthermore, the regulations span specialty areas from MRI, diagnostic imaging, fluoroscopy and even cyber security. Coding of course, is a hot topic and several sessions are dedicated to helping organizations keep more of their revenues and not let money slip away.
In all, there are more than 70 sessions that offer expert advice and proven methods of practice and leadership. Not to mention this year’s line-up of keynote speakers promises to deliver inspiring messages to motivate attendees to affect positive change at all levels of leadership. If planning for your capital budget is also on your radar, look no further than the exhibit hall which contains over 150 exhibitors from leading imaging vendors of products and services all under one roof. If that is not enough to convince your organization, there is also a downloadable and customizable justification kit available on the AHRA website.
If you are planning to sneak in a little vacation around the meeting, there are a multitude of activities to choose from in and around Denver. Catch some live music, explore the amazing street art scene, visit one of the many museums or leave the city altogether and head into the mountains where you’ll be surrounded by unique landscapes and opportunities to explore nature. For more information on area attractions, visit denver.org.
With all that there is to offer with the AHRA 47th Annual Meeting and Exposition and the Denver, Colorado area, you don’t want to miss out on this amazing opportunity to mix business with pleasure. Go ahead and mark your calendars and put in your meeting request, with a few extra days off to secure your trip to Denver.
For those of you who have been attending AHRA meetings for a while and have been wondering what is your next step – volunteering! There are many ways that you can give back to the organization and lend a hand to the association. You can introduce a speaker, scan badges at sessions or write for the Convention Daily newspaper. Visit the AHRA Annual website and click “volunteer” to sign-up and make a difference.
It’s not too late to sign up an additional co-worker either. No worries if they are not a member, you can sign up to be a member when you register and save the $25 application fee. Maximize the meeting offerings and tag-team the sessions so that you go back to your organization with an arsenal of skills and information to lead your department toward success. Need a little extra help? It’s not too late to apply for one of the meeting scholarships. The deadline is June 3 to apply for either the Osborn Scholarship or the Annual Meeting Scholarship.
You will not regret investing in your future to grow your leadership in radiology management! For more information on the meeting details and registration, visit www.ahra.org/annualmeeting.
Come and join me in Denver and let’s Rock the Rockies!
Shelley R. Wells, BAS, BS, RT(R)(CT) is a system engineer at Technologix Group LLC and is AHRA’s 2019 Annual Meeting Design Team Chair. She can be reached at shelley.wells@gotechnologix.com.
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