Thirty-one ACHE chapters were recognized for their 2023 performance as part of the Chapter Management and Awards Program at the 2024 Congress on Healthcare Leadership. The award-winning chapters were honored during the Malcolm T. MacEachern Memorial Lecture and Luncheon on March 26.
One chapter received the Award for Chapter Excellence. Additionally, 10 chapters won the Award of Chapter Distinction, and 20 chapters won the Award of Chapter Merit. Seven chapters won a second award, the Award for Sustained Performance.
To receive recognition, chapters must meet or exceed one or more of the four performance standards based on a tiered recognition system. There are six awards:
- Award for Sustained Chapter Excellence: Chapters meet three of the four performance standards for four consecutive years.
- Award for Sustained Performance: Chapters meet at least one of the four performance standards for three consecutive years.
- Board of Governors Award: Chapters meet all four of the performance standards in a current award year.
- Award for Chapter Excellence: Chapters meet three of the four performance standards in the current award year.
- Award of Chapter Distinction: Chapters meet two of the four performance standards in the current award year.
- Award of Chapter Merit: Chapters meet one of the four performance standards in the current award year.
Meeting and Exceeding Chapter Standards
ACHE—North Florida Chapter is the sole winner of the 2024 Award for Chapter Excellence, and it’s the first year the chapter won this award. ACHE—North Florida Chapter President Alexis T. Kainz, FACHE, operations administrator, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla., says the board is passionate about ACHE’s mission to advance members and healthcare leadership excellence. “While we are excited and honored to be receiving this award, we are most proud of the impact we are making in our communities and profession by growing our membership and providing educational and networking opportunities to inspire and assist members as they lead and serve their organizations,” says Kainz.The chapter increased its educational offerings in 2023, with focused efforts on planning in-person events across North Florida. Through partnerships with its Higher Education Network universities, local health systems and community sponsors, the chapter was able to reach a larger number of members over its large geographic region. Highlights from the year include hosting Erica M. Scavella, MD, FACHE, assistant under secretary for health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; adding a Women’s Leadership Forum; and collaborating with other Florida chapters and the Florida Hospital Association at its annual meeting.
ACHE—North Florida Chapter achieved the award standard in member satisfaction. “Receiving feedback from our members was critical, so we let them know how much we valued their response to the member survey and how to check their profile to ensure they were receiving it,” says Kainz. “Our members wanted educational offerings that were convenient to them, so we offered virtual and in-person events across the region at varied times to meet their needs. We also enhanced our communication with members with regular updates through LinkedIn, our website and email. Finally, our members wanted to learn how to get more involved, so we have expanded our committee structure to increase engagement and assist with succession planning for our board.”
The chapter is working toward receiving the Board of Governors Award and the Award for Sustained Performance next year. “The chapter hopes to accomplish this by elevating our efforts from 2023,” says Kainz. “Additionally, we are working on formalizing a mentorship program and creating a sponsorship structure that will allow us to increase member engagement. We are appreciative of the collective efforts of ACHE, our board, members and sponsors that allow us to make a difference in our communities.”
Encouraging Exceptional Service
ACHE’s Chapter Management and Awards Program recognizes the delivery of high-quality services to ACHE members at the local level. The program’s goals include creating a system that compares chapter performance objectively, manages success based on a common set of indicators and provides well-deserved recognition to top-performing chapters.
Performance Standards
ACHE uses the information from reports submitted by chapters to calculate the performance standards that must be met each year. These performance standards are set annually by taking a three-year average of performance at the 90th percentile level for each standard.
Fully chartered chapters had to meet or exceed the following standards to receive one of the 2024 awards:
- Education and networking performance. This key indicator is a calculation of the number of programming hours multiplied by the number of attendees and divided by the total chapter membership at the beginning of the current award year. In 2023, winning chapters were required to provide at least 8.4 hours of chapter event programming per chapter member.
- Net membership growth. This outcome is measured by the percentage difference between the total number of ACHE-affiliated chapter members in all membership categories at the beginning and end of the year. In 2023, winning chapters were required to have a net membership growth of at least 6.2%.
- Level of member satisfaction. Each chapter is expected to have a top-ranking level of member satisfaction as measured in the annual survey administered by ACHE. In 2023, winning chapters were required to receive at least a 4.2 on a 5-point scale in chapter member satisfaction.
- Advancement of eligible members. This outcome is measured by the percentage of the eligible pool to advance to Fellow each year. In 2023, chapters were required to advance a number greater than or equal to 9% of the chapter members eligible to advance at the beginning of the year.
Congratulations to the 2024 chapter award winners. View the full list of award recipients at ache.org/about-ache/news-and-awards.
To find your chapter, search the chapter directory. To discuss your ideas for chapters, contact Stacey A. Kidd, CAE, director, Chapter Relations, Department of Executive Engagement, at (312) 424-9323 or skidd@ache.org.