HFMA Milestones

1946

American Association of Hospital Accountants (AAHA) formed.

1947

First issue of official Journal published.

1948

First Chapter (Illinois) formed.

1949

AAHA co-sponsors Institute with the University of Indiana.

1951

First commercial ads in journal. Association hires first full-time employee.

1952

Institute has first theme, "Better Administration through Better Accounting," with 170 attendees. Life membership created. Total of 11 chapters. Reaches 1,000 members.

1953

Graham L. Davis Award for Chapter Achievement established. Begin first research project, "Retention of Records". Journal copyrighted. Twenty-five chapters, over 1,850 members.

1954

Membership reaches 2,000. First annual meeting of chapter presidents. Thirty chapters.

1955

Joint committee formed with AHA to establish better relationship. Forty-two chapters and 2,620 members. First chapter president’s manual published.

1956

AAHA national office established in Chicago. AAHA incorporated as non-for-profit Association. Notes from National begin.

1957

First fellowship examination. Syracuse Chapter is formed.

1958

Frederick C. Morgan Award established.

1959

AAHA moves to American Hospital Association building. Robert M. Shelton, FHFMA, immediate past president, appointed executive director. Fifty-eight chapters and 3,200 members.

1960

AAHA Code of Ethics adopted. William G. Follmer Merit Award created. 90-Point Club organized (retroactive to 1957).

1961

Chapter Newsletter Contest initiated.

1963

AAHA Educational Foundation incorporated. First ANI held.

1964

Hired first director of education (first staff executive hired).

1965

Sixty-one chapters, 3,600 members.

1967

Follmer Merit Award renamed William G. Follmer Award (Stage I in Founders’ Award Series). Robert H. Reeves Award (Stage II in Founders’ Award Series) established.

1968

AAHA changes to Hospital Financial Management Association. Matrix organization created. Advanced membership status established.

1969

HFMA moves to new quarters in AHA annex. First CMPA exam held. Frederick T. Muncie Award (Stage III in Founders’ Award Series) established.

1970

Membership exceeded 9,000. HFM Educational Foundation received Kellogg grant.

1971

HFMA marks 25th anniversary.

1972

Computerization of membership records. Three new chapters. Membership reaches 11,000.

1973

HFMA opens Washington, D.C. office. Ronald R. Kovener, FHFMA, HFMA past president, appointed associate executive director.

1974

Mover to larger quarters at 666 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. Membership topped 13,000.

1975

Principles and Practices Board established. Membership reaches 14,000.

1976

Thirtieth anniversary marked. Membership passes 15,000.

1977

Membership exceeds 16,000.

1978

Organizational changes implemented. James T. Whitman, FHFMA, CPA, becomes first salaried president. Membership reaches 17,000.

1979

Membership reaches 18,000. Syracuse Chapter is renamed the Central New York Chapter.

1980

Robert M. Shelton Award for Sustained Excellence unveiled. National office relocated to Oak Brook, Illinois. 90-Point Club renamed GLD Club. Membership reaches 19,000.

1981

First United Kingdom seminar held in London, now USA/UK Exchange.

1982

Name changed to Healthcare Financial Management Association. Membership exceeds 20,000.

1983

Michael F. Doody appointed President. Membership exceeds 22,000.

1985

Membership exceeds 25,000 mark. First Chapter Newsletter Editors’ Seminar held.

1986

Fortieth anniversary marked. Founders’ Model of Honor (Stage IV in Founders’ Award Series) established. Richard L. Clarke, FHFMA, appointed President. Membership exceeds 26,000.

1988

National office relocated to Westchester, Illinois.

1989

Membership exceeds 27,500. CFO and PFS Forums formed.

1990

Beginning of FORUMS for Chief Financial Officers and Patient Financial Services. Exec-u-Trak Career Network established. C. Henry Hottum League was established in the GLD program for chapters with more than 550 members. Membership exceeds 28,000. Mini-grant program established. Chapter Assistance Team Program established. First Quality Conference. Review of Certification Programs.

1991

Forty-fifth anniversary marked. First Patient Accounts Exchange. First Chapter Achievement Award for Excellence in Education Awarded.

1992

Association history published. Membership exceeds 30,000. CQI program initiated, focusing on internal structure of HFMA National office.

1993

Twenty-two GLD Task Force recommendations approved by the HFMA National Board. Joint venture on book publishing with Probus Publishing Company. First Leadership Directory published. HFMA National realignment focusing on external and internal customers.

1994

HFMA NET, HFMA’s on-line bulletin board system, introduced to volunteers.

1995

Managed Care Forum organized. Certified Managed Care Professional (CMCP) introduced. HFMA establishes a home page on the World Wide Web. Central New York Chapter moves from the Mehler League to the Stagl League.

1996

HFMA revamps certification format. HFMA members now must first earn the new Certified Healthcare Financial Profession (CHFP). After earning the CHFP, members can move on to the Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (FHFMA) designation. HFMA celebrates its 50th anniversary. HFMA implements a market diversification plan to encourage membership from markets including integrated health networks, managed care plans and payers, medical group practices, long-term care, and home health care. HFM magazine unveils its new look and format. HFMA educates 35,000 seniors about Medicare through "HFMA Serves America: Making Medicare Easier" community service project.

1997

HFMA launches Knowledge Network and HFMA Online.

1998

New Compliance Officers Forum developed. HFMA announces new specialty certification program: the Financial Management of Physician Practices. HFMA rolls out an organizational on-site training program called HFMA Learning Solutions, Inc. HFMA revamps the Graham L. Davis program into the Davis Chapter Management System- a new pilosophy and approach to managing chapter performance.

1999

HFMA announces the ANI Scholarship program. This award offers HFMA regular and student members the chance to attend the Association’s ANI, beginning June 2000. HFMA adds new educational products including HFMA’s OIG Watch and DRG Watch to help members stay up to date with all of the latest regulations. In cooperation with Watson Wyatt Worldwide, HFMA announces the results of a survey which reveals the latest trends in healthcare finance.

2000

HFMA revamps its strategic direction. HFMA audio teleconferences show exceptional growth, with registration numbers increasing by 463% over the prior year. The number of members joining Forum groups sets new records. HFMA accelerates its online presence by adding new interactive features and more resources. Hits on HFMA’s home page registered at 24,678 for fiscal 2000, compared with 10,199 last year. This difference of 14,479 represents an increase of 242% in just one year. HFMA President & CEO Richard L. Clarke, FHFMA, co-authors a new book titled Beyond Managed Care: Forces Behind the Growing Role of Consumers and Technology.

2001

HFMA launches PATIENT FRIENDLY BILLINGS project with the American Hospital Association to make patient billing more user-friendly. HFMA helped shape the industry by joining with more than one hundred other hospitals, major associations, and businesses to create the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care. The short-term accomplishments of the coalition include achieving additional relief from the Balanced Budget Act and making financial issues politically acknowledged. The longer-term goal of the coalition was to help shape the healthcare debate for the President and Congress. HFMA’s Annual National Institute, held in San Antonio, Texas, broke attendance records—about 2,800 people attended. HFMA began offering e-learning –new online training and education offering the healthcare industry a powerful tool for improving quality of care, customer and employee satisfaction, and financial performance.

2002

HFMA launches new web site. HFMA member, Sister M. Gerald Hartney, CSC, FHFMA, named to Modern Healthcare's Hall of Fame. Phase two of PATIENT FRIENDLY BILLINGS project initiated.