From the August 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
This report originally appeared in the August 2011 issue of DOTmed Business News
To prepare for the Association for Medical Equipment Management 2011 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Texas, Ronald Rhynus went shopping.
"I went out and bought a new cowboy hat and new boots,” says Rhynus, who serves as AHRA’s president. “I’m going to look the part."
More than 1,000 imaging leaders are joining Rhynus for the association’s meeting, held at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine from August 14 to 17.
Attendees can expect a slew of networking opportunities and discussions about current industry challenges, such as reimbursement issues, reductions in patient volumes and compliance.
This year, the AHRA is offering a new schedule format, which consists of a more condensed program while maintaining the same levels of continuing education and socializing opportunities as previous meetings. The meeting will begin earlier on Sunday and end on Wednesday evening.
The condensed program will enable attendees to take advantage of all the CE opportunities packed into the meeting but still return to their normal routine a day earlier, Rhynus explains.
But the schedule is not the only thing that’s new this year. AHRA is also presenting a novel Practice Management Track in partnership with the Radiology Business Management Association. The RBMA will select the speakers who will address the issues relevant to radiology practice managers today.
“We appreciate the synergy that we’re developing with the RBMA,” Rhynus says. “It shows that we’re working together to continue to improve everybody’s knowledge base.”
Attendees also have the opportunity to take advantage of AHRA’s Leadership Institute offerings, a selection of development programs tailored for medical imaging professionals at all career levels –- there is a basic, advanced and an executive track.
“We’re really trying to hit all the angles for the radiology directors who want to grow from any position that they currently have,” Rhynus says.
And building off the success at last year’s meeting, AHRA is expanding opportunities for commercial partners to highlight some of their top products and services at the show. The sessions have proven to be popular with attendees because they are both informational and networking events, Rhynus says.
The association’s meeting will end with AHRA’s Ranch Party. Rhynus encourages attendees to bring their big, flashy belt buckles to Texas. He already bought his.
