Membership - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can I become a member of the Society?
Becoming a Society member is simple! Just complete the secure on-line application or, print out the online application and mail it to SHCA/AHA, Personal Membership Group, P.O. Box 75315, Chicago, IL 60675-5315. An application is also available via fax by calling the Society office at (312) 422-3700. As soon as your membership is processed, you will receive a new member kit and will begin to reap the benefits of membership.

How much are the membership dues?
Regular Membership $150 - Individuals, including VA employees, providing advocacy for patients and consumers of healthcare services. Active members may hold leadership and committee positions.

Associate Membership $200 - Associate members are individuals who support or contribute to healthcare consumer advocacy through consulting. Associate members may be appointed to committees, but may not hold leadership positions.

Students $75 - Individuals enrolled in a healthcare administration degree program; copy of a valid student id must accompany application.

What are the benefits of membership?
Society membership offers you a wealth of benefits including print and online resources, networking opportunities, job-searching tools, and discounts to educational events. For complete benefit details, visit the benefits page.

If I join today, when will my membership expire?
Your membership will be active for a full 12 months. SHCA bills members on an anniversary cycle throughout the year. Members are billed approximately 12 months after their join date.

New Members

If I join today, when will I receive my membership information?
Please allow 4 – 6 weeks for membership information to be processed. If you have not received your new member packet within 6 weeks of submitting your application, please contact the SHCA offices at (312) 422-3700.

How do I register and create a SHCA Online username and password?

See Using the SHCA Webiste below.

How do I become more involved in SHCA?
SHCA encourages all members to participate fully in Society activities and governance. Members who are interested in pursuing leadership opportunities on a national level, please visit our Leadership Opportunities page of the SHCA website.

Membership Information

Where do I find my membership number?
Your membership number appears on most mail you receive from the Society and at the top of every SHCA News You Need e-mail. It is the number beginning with 000 or 802 above your name and address on the outside of each envelope. If you have trouble locating your membership number you can call the Society office at (312) 422-3700 or email us at shca@aha.org.

How do I update my contact information?
The Society allows you to easily update your information online. The online form can be accessed by clicking on the Update Your Profile button under the Membership section of the site (login is required). If you prefer, feel free to mail your new information to SHCA, 155 North Wacker, #400, Chicago, IL 60606, fax us the information at (312) 278-0881, call (312) 422-3700 or e-mail us at shca@aha.org and we will update your membership record.

Membership Renewal

How do I renew my membership?
Renewing your Society membership is simple! You will automatically receive an invoice when your membership is about to expire. At that point, you can either renew by phone, fax, online with a credit card, or via mail with a check/money order/credit card. If you have not received an invoice and it is time for you to renew your membership, please call the Society office at (312) 422-3700.

Society Products and Publications

What is the fastest way to learn about resources (books, white papers, benchmarking studies, etc.) available from SHCA?
SHCA is proud to offer a diverse selection of publications and products designed specifically to address the evolving demands of healthcare strategy professionals. To learn about our offerings, please visit the SHCA Bookstore.

Does the Society produce a membership directory?
The Society maintains a searchable membership directory on the website. The directory is accessible only to members and can be found in the Members Only section of site. (login is required)

Annual Conference

When and where is the 2011 Annual Conference and Exhibits?
The Annual Conference and Exhibits, SHCA's 40th Anniversary will be held April 6 - 8 in Jacksonville, FL. Information about sessions, exhibits, continuing education credits and all other points of interest can be viewed in the patient and consumer advocate Annual Conference webpages.

Professional Development

How can the Society assist me in filling a new position or finding a job?
Whether you have an open position to fill or are seeking employment, the Society’s job recruitment resource, the SHCA Career Center, can help you find what you’re looking for. Position-available and position-wanted listings are published bi-weekly as an attachment to the Society’s weekly electronic newsletter, SHCA News You Need. For specifics about this job recruitment resource, contact SHCA at shca@aha.org

How can I submit an article to the Society’s member newsletter, SHCA News?
If you are interested in submitting an article for SHCA News, please send a short outline or brief statement of an idea to Kourtney Sproat at ksproat@aha.org prior to the development or submission of a manuscript. For additional details, please see the SHCA News Author guidelines.

How can my company list in the SHCA Buyers Guide?
To list your company in the Society’s Buyers Guide, a searchable online directory of healthcare vendors and consultants, please contact Kourtney Sproat at ksproat@aha.org.

Using the SHCA Website

How do I register on the Members Only area of the SHCA website?
Download instructions on registering for the Members-Only area

To register on the SHCA website, you will need your 10 digit membership number. Please follow the steps below for the registration process. Also keep in mind, username and passwords created are case sensitive.

Click on the ‘register ’ link at the top of the SHCA website.
Choose a username, password, and complete the contact information section of the form. When finished, click ‘continue’.
Select Society for Healthcare Consumer Advocacy and enter your membership number. Be sure your membership number begins with 000 or 802. When finished, click ‘continue’.
Now you will be able to access all Members Only areas on the SHCA website.

If you have any difficulty when registering for the Members Only area, please contact the SHCA offices at (312) 422-3700 or shca@aha.org and a staff member will be happy to walk you through the process.

I have lost my password to the Members Only area of the SHCA website, what do I do?
On the login screen of the Members Only area, please click on ‘Forgot Password’. Complete the form and a temporary password will be e-mailed to the address provided when you registered.

Once you login with this temporary password, you will be prompted to change the password. If you continue to experience difficulty and cannot locate your username or password, please contact the SHCA offices at (312) 422-3700 or shca@aha.org and a staff member will be happy to assist you.

How do I stop spam filter categorizing SHCA emails as spam?
If you are experiencing difficulties in receiving e-mail from SHCA, please try the following:

1. Add SHCA's "from" e-mail address to your address book:

Hotmail- Place the "from" addresses shca@aha.org and shca@mail142.subscribermail.com in your safe list. The safe list can be accessed via the "options" link next to the main menu tabs.
AOL- Place the "from" addresses shca@aha.org and shca@mail142.subscribermail.com in your address book.
Yahoo! Mail- If SHCA's electronic newsletters are being filtered into your "bulk" folder, open the e-mail there and then click on the "This is not spam" link next to the "from" field.
Other Providers- If SHCA's electronic newsletters are being filtered, add shca@aha.org and shca@mail142.subscribermail.com to your address book or contact list. If this option is not available, try moving the email into your "Inbox" or forwarding it to yourself.

2. If adding SHCA's domain to your e-mail address does not help, you may need to provide your facility's e-mail administration with information to "white list" SHCA's e-mail servers:

The return path is mail142.subscribermail.com, the domain is subscribermail.com, and the IP address is 63.240.155.142