Make sure your practice executive, key staff are AAOE members

Francis “Sam” Santschi, JD

Measuring the return on investment (ROI) for staff education and professional development is difficult. But when it comes to membership in the American Association of Orthopaedic Executives (AAOE), your ROI will be easy to determine. Once your practice executives start taking advantage of AAOE member benefits, you’ll see a change. You’ll have staff who can predict, plan, and implement your practice’s goals, culture, and vision. The following are just some of the AAOE member programs and benefits that can provide you with a measurable ROI.

AAOE 44th Annual Conference
Scheduled for April 28–30, 2013, in San Diego, the AAOE Annual Conference provides opportunities for learning first-hand from leaders in orthopaedic practice management and participating in peer-to-peer networking. Attendees hear from nationally recognized speakers and experts in the field, focused on orthopaedic practices. It’s also a chance for them to see and test products and services for orthopaedic practices.

AAOS member Frank B. Kelly, MD, who attended the 2012 AAOE Annual Conference, called it “an excellent learning opportunity” and noted that sessions “covered key topics and provided valuable tips.” Registration fees are $550 for members, $1,150 for nonmembers, giving you an immediate ROI of $600.

AAOE Leaders in Practice Success
The AAOE Leaders in Practice Success (ALPS) mentoring program pairs experienced orthopaedic practice executives with new AAOE members. As every AAOS member knows, education from a seasoned mentor is priceless.

ALPS Project Mentor
The ALPS Project Mentor provides individual attention and advice on a specific, time-sensitive subject or project. For example, if your practice is considering adding or building a new location, hospital integration, purchasing or upgrading an electronic medical record system, or instituting digital imaging, your practice manager could work one-on-one with an individual who has been there, done that. Although consultants charge hundreds of dollars, this service is free to AAOE members.

AAOE List serve
Looking for immediate feedback? Look no farther than the AAOE listserv, a lively, real-time community actively involved in electronic questions and answers on just about any topic related to orthopaedics. This free member benefit puts worlds of orthopaedic wisdom at your fingertips 24/7.

Webinars
The AAOE is in the forefront of new learning technologies with webinars designed to meet the needs of practice managers without taking them away from the office. Education topics are determined by the AAOE Practice Management Committee and based on member needs assessment surveys. Webinars are free to members, but $99 for nonmembers; depending on your use, your ROI ranges from $99 to $1,386 (maximum 14 web-inars annually).

Practice Benchmarking Survey
The benchmarking survey enables you to compare vital practice statistics and measures against those of your peers to ensure your practice is performing at its peak. Participation is open all year, and measures are continually updated. Results are free for participating members; nonparticipants and nonmembers pay $200, so your ROI = $200.

Library/Learning Center
The library includes links to practice-tested resources and time-saving templates; the Learning Center provides recorded audio synchronized with presenter PowerPoint slides, downloadable MP3s, and handouts from AAOE events and webinars. Both are free resources for AAOE members.

AAOE Publications
The AAOE eNewsletter and the AAOE Legislative and Regulatory Update provide timely topics and relevant information on medical news, business advice, and significant legislation—important updates you need. Visit www.aaoe.net to learn more and sign up members of your management team for this incredible fellowship. Simple coding tips have paid for my membership many times over; more importantly, AAOE membership has supported my surgeon and me, placing us in a far better position to meet ever-growing regulatory and administrative burdens.

Francis “Sam” Santschi, JD, chairs the AAOE Membership Council and is the practice administrator for Diana L. Kruse, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon in private practice in Sauk City, Wisc.