This issue of Chapter Leaders News focuses on Resources and Training for Incoming leaders

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Section Index

Call to Action
Important Notes
Tools and Resources

Call To Action

2015 Chapter Leader Exchange Evaluation
HIMSS is pleased to host the 2015 Chapter Leader Exchange attendees in Cleveland, Ohio, at the HIMSS Innovation Center. HIMSS hopes attendees found the presentations valuable, and walked away with great ideas, contacts, and support for chapter boards. For all of those that attended the Chapter Leader exchange, please remember to complete the Chapter Leader Exchange Evaluation.

Attendee feedback is extremely important for shaping future on-site chapter leaders training events.  This evaluation will close shortly, so make sure to submit input as soon as possible.  Feel free to send any additional comments or questions to Chapter Staff.

August 2015 Chapter Leader Webinar – SAVE THE DATE
Save the date for the first FY16 Chapter Leader Webinar episode on Aug.20 at 1pm CST.  This session is open to all active chapter board members. During this hour Tammy Kwiatkoski, senior manager, operations, and Jordan Blinn, coordinator, operations, will provide an encore presentation of “Policy and Leadership Go Hand-in-Hand: Policy 101” from the 2015 Chapter Leader Exchange.

Some learning objectives for this episode include better understanding HIMSS chapter policies and procedures to help chapters remain in good standing. HIMSS hopes to help chapter leaders better understand the various resources available. As always, there will be time for open discussion and Q&A. 

Stay tuned for the official registration, which will open by early August 2015.  Feel free to send any questions to Chapter Staff.

HIE/Interoperability Success Stories
As discussed on the June Chapter Advocacy Roundtable Call, HIMSS is still in the process of collecting health information exchange (HIE)/Interoperability Success Stories to ensure that government officials understand the extent and depth of current HIE/interoperability efforts occurring across the nation as well as the challenges that currently exist. HIMSS will use the information collected to help inform advocacy efforts at both the federal and state levels. 

HIMSS is soliciting ideas from members for exchange/interoperability stories of success that will be presented to federal and state officials. Brief narratives can be used to tell these stories. Helpful information would include:

• Providers involved
• City, state, and zip code
• Health IT tools used
• How/Why interoperability is being pursued
• Results/Outcomes realized from exchange
• Supporting sources/links

HIMSS will compile information that is submitted from chapter resources. Contact Jeff Coughlin, senior director, federal & state Affairs for a sample narrative for a model for submission, or if questions arise.

HIMSS Veterans Career Services
HIMSS Veterans Career Services (VCS) is looking for Chapters to sponsor a VCS guest to attend annual conference. A VCS guest is defined as a veteran, transitioning service member or military spouse/survivor (not currently employed in a civilian healthcare IT role). The application for VCS guests to apply opened on 6 July and will remain open through 28 Aug 2015. The honorarium covers airfare, lodging costs for four nights and a per-diem stipend for meals, other incidentals, taxi, etc. Costs are not to exceed $1,800 and chapters will be billed for exact costs.
Please contact Amy Justice, program manager, veterans career services, , for additional information on the process. Last year, 15 HIMSS Chapters sponsored 16 VCS guests.

Important Notes

2015 Chapter Leader Exchange Recap
HIMSS North America and the HIMSS Operations team extends a HUGE thank you to all chapter leaders who were able to attend the 2015 Chapter Leader Exchange in Cleveland, Ohio, at the HIMSS Innovation Center. Ninety-seven  registrants participated,  from 51 of the 55 chapters, during the two-day offsite event.  The conversations were engaging, the questions were thought-provoking and the energy was high.  The dedication, talent, time and efforts of  chapter leaders are greatly appreciated.

Presentations from this event can be found at the Chapter Leader Resource Area under chapter leadership essentials.  Additional information captured from the sessions will continue to be loaded here as well.  Contact Chapter Staff with any event-related questions.

HIMSS Awards and Scholarships Applications Now Open
The HIMSS Awards and Scholarships call for applications are now open as of Monday, July 6, and will close on Friday, Aug. 28 at 5 pm CST.

Similar to previous years, all chapter awards will be decided by the Chapters Task Force Awards Workgroup, with final approval made by the HIMSS Board of Directors. Award winners will be notified following the HIMSS board of directors meeting in December. Recipients will be honored at an awards gala at HIMSS16 in Las Vegas.

Learn more about Chapter Awards at the Chapter Leader Resource Area (HIMSS SSO login credentials required).  Please consult awards eligibility and requirements as these may've changed this year.  Send any questions to Chapter Staff.

Chapter Leader FY16 Kickoff and Transition Checklist
Welcome to Chapter Leadership and the start of FY16.  As chapters kick-off  the year,  please complete these tasks:

1. HIMSS encourages chapters to hold a strategic planning and transition meeting with the board, if one has not already been held, in order to set goals, and plan the year.
2. Submit the Chapter Annual Standards Report due July 31.  Keep this report as a standing agenda item for board meetings.
3. Send in the new board listings as soon as possible, to ensure HIMSS can communicate with the current board members.
4. HIMSS membership applications are processed through HIMSS. Individual Membership is $199 per year and chapter-only membership is $39 for all new members beginning July , and for renewals beginning Oct. 1.  Rebates will reflect $23 per individual member.
5. HIMSS provides two email addresses per year.  Pass on the email access to the president and info email address or ask Tammy Kwiatkoski for a password reset.  This is how HIMSS communicates with the chapter president.
6. If the chapter has a group email account, identify who should be on the group email for FY16. Send an email to Tammy Kwiatkoski to establish a group email account.
7. Identify website point of contact. Update the board list and contact information on chapter websites.
8. Send Chapter Staff  information for upcoming events. 
9. Send nominations for Chapter of the Year or chapter Leader of the Year Award.   Submissions are due Aug 28. 
10. Submit all collaborations to the Collaboration Survey
11. Review the chapter planning calendar found on the CLRA policy page
12. Submit templates, useful tools and new idea that can support all chapters to Chapter Staff .
13. Utilize the Engage shared document repository tool. Contact Jordan Blinn with questions.

Tools and Resources

FY15 HIMSS Chapters Annual Standards Report
Be advised that the 2015 Chapter Annual Standards Report is due Friday, July 31. This document is designed to help chapters achieve their organizational goals. This also helps HIMSS determine if chapters have met minimum organizational and program delivery requirements based on the standards included in the report. Failure to submit the report may result in disciplinary action. 

HIMSS wants to make the annual reporting process as easy and efficient as possible for chapters. To ensure that the report is completed in a timely fashion, HIMSS strongly encourages chapter leaders to work on the report throughout the year. 

The report asks chapters for information integral to the chapters program. Each section must be completed in its entirety in the format requested on the report. Completing the report can be quick and easy, as long as all board members contribute with a plan in place.  Please submit in a timely manner.

Chapter Extranet Platform – Engage
As previously mentioned, HIMSS has changed its Chapters Extranet. HIMSS is no longer using SharePoint, and is now using HIMSS Engage as the extranet platform. All current Chapter Leaders will have access and contributor rights to their respective chapter’s Engage site. To access the platform, go to www.himssengage.org, enter the HIMSS SSO login credentials, click “HIMSS Chapters Home” and find the chapter’s site.

Please note that this platform is fully supported on Internet Explorer (IE) version 10, although version 8 or 9 should work as well. HIMSS cannot guarantee full optimization on other web browsers such as FireFox, Safari or Chrome. For those who would like to learn more, HIMSS has recorded extranet training sessions under Chapter Leader Webinars at the Chapter Leaders Resource Area.

All Chapter SharePoint sites will be removed no later than August 1st. If the chapter actively maintains a chapter site on the HIMSS SharePoint environment, HIMSS urges chapters to migrate shared documents as soon as possible, due to the overall instability of this environment. 

A copy of the HIMSS Extranet Retention Policy is now included in the Chapters Annual Standards Report as well. Consult the portion titled “Record Retention Periods” which will provide guidance on what documentation to move and what to purge.

Recognize outstanding Chapter board members or volunteers for above and beyond chapter accomplishments by submitting to HIMSS Members in Action.

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