Dear First Illinois Members,

As the new president of the First Illinois chapter of HFMA, I want to welcome you to chapter year 2010/2011. I am excited and honored to begin my role as chapter president.

The National HFMA theme this year is “Step UP”. As I think about that theme and what it means, there are many instances that come to mind where members have Stepped UP to support our chapter. Whether it was lending an extra pair of hands or taking the lead on a program or committee, members have always Stepped UP to the task.

However, this year is a year of change. With the passing of healthcare reform, the entire landscape of our industry is in the midst of transformation, which is why membership with HFMA has become much more critical to our members. Our organization provides the highest quality education programs and industry resources to our membership so they can remain current on issues impacting healthcare.

This year our focus will remain on education programs to ensure they continue to be relevant and timely as health care reform continues to evolve. We will also concentrate on feedback received from the First Illinois membership survey taken in January 2010. More specifically, members are looking for enhanced communication and that means we will be looking to leverage technology and re-evaluate our current First Illinois website.

As a final point, I would like to personally invite all members to “Step UP” and participate in the coming chapter year. The resources HFMA has are many and they are multiplied by the involvement of our membership. In the months ahead, we will have many opportunities to learn new information and hear new viewpoints to meet the coming challenges in healthcare. I would urge all members to make the investment to become more active and delve deeper into the complicated world of healthcare. We face common problems and can benefit from other members experiences. By participating more and connecting with your fellow members, you can become more effective and maybe have a little fun along the way.

I look forward to an exceptional chapter year and thank you for Stepping UP within the First Illinois HFMA chapter.

Patricia K. Marlinghaus
2010/2011 First Illinois Chapter President