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By Brenda Debastiani, MBA, CRA, FAHRA
Happy holidays!! No matter which holiday you celebrate, whether it is Hanukkah, Rohatsu, Advent, Solstice, Christmas, Kwanza, or another, I hope that you are able to find joy this holiday season. I challenge you to not worry about whether your gift was exactly right or whether you made enough food for your guests, but instead focus on the quality of time that you spend with others in the coming weeks. For those of you who recently lost a special someone or are experiencing this holiday season alone, I encourage you to reach out to others to find companionship, friendship, or help. You are not alone! Sometimes when times get stressful or difficult, I find myself focusing on “what’s next” just to get through. This year, I have already begun trying to enjoy each moment with the person I’m spending time with versus fast-forwarding in my head about what I should do next. It has already lifted self-induced stress. Try it! I have been enjoying the Florida version of the “Ugly Christmas Sweaters Party” (aka “ugly t-shirt parties”), the mid-morning final soccer parties, and spending time with my in-house family guests. I am looking forward to flying back home to spend time with my family over Christmas.
I recently went to the RSNA to meet up with many of our AHRA corporate partners and loyal vendors. As I listened to what each vendor had to say, I was pleased with the wonderful feedback that they shared about our organization. Most of our corporate partners wanted to know how they can better meet AHRA members’ needs since so many members are still in front-line staffing. We discussed that hospitals are struggling right now due to increased costs for both labor and supplies, so there is a real need for scholarships to annual in-person meetings; access to webinars, and such. Networking is so powerful, but without in-person meetings, connections are hard to develop. There are several vendors who expressed interest in sponsoring regional meetings. Are you interested in holding a regional meeting in your area? Please be sure to check out this “how-to” on hosting one. The best part is that you just have to share your ideas, and the AHRA will help you take care of the rest!
The AHRA Board of Directors and AHRA staff are moving full steam ahead with making plans for our new year. I can see the excitement in everyone’s faces during our frequent zoom meetings. New beginnings are here, and we see that the AHRA’s future is very bright!! Have you stepped up to volunteer? The AHRA Radiology Management journal is always looking for new authors! (It’s not that hard to write, I promise! Please step outside of your comfort zone and give it a try.)
Regarding my personal goals. 1) I have been playing pickleball (oh what fun!) and bocce ball (even more fun), as well as walking Zoey frequently; 2) I am spending time in “my happy places” (pool, beach, with family, on phone calls with family, etc.); and 3) I have definitely improved my “better work-life balance” goal. I’m enjoying the sunshine, even if it means taking walks during lunchtime when I have later scheduled meetings. If there is a will, there is a way to enjoy sunny Florida!
AHRA CLIMB: The Conference for Leadership in Imaging Management & Business will be held February 24-26, 2023 in San Diego, CA. Have you registered yet? I hope to see you there! The 2023 AHRA Annual Meeting will be July 9-12, 2023 in Indianapolis, IN. Don’t miss the early bird registration savings!
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me at Brenda.DeBastiani@BraveraHealth.com.
Brenda Debastiani is the AHRA 2022-2023 President and can be reached at the email address above.
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