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 Indiana University.

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 1000 members.

1953 Graham L. Davis Award for Chapter Achievement established. Begin first research project "Retention of Records". Journal copyrighted. 25 chapters, over 1850 members.

1954 Membership reaches 2,000. First annual meeting of chapter presidents. 30 chapters.

1955 Joint committee formed with AHA to establish better relationship. 42 chapters and 2,620 members. First chapter presidents manual published.

1956 AAHA national office established in Chicago. AAHA incorporated as non-for-profit Association. Notes from National begin.

1957 First fellowship examination.

1958 Frederick C. Morgan Award established.

1959 AAHA moves to American Hospital Association building. Robert M. Shelton, FHFMA, immediate past president, appointed executive director. 58 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 exec. hired).

1965 61 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 reached 11,000.

1973 HFMA opens Washington, D.C. office. Ronald R. Kovener, FHFMA, HFMA past president, appointed associate executive director.

1974 Moved 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.

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' Medal 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 22 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.

1996 HFMA streamlines certification format to include the new Certified Healthcare Financial Profession (CHFP) and the Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (FHFMA) designation. HFMA celebrates its 50th anniversary. HFMA implements a market diversification plan. 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. HFMA forms alliance with MGMA.

1997 The Association launches the HFMA Knowledge Network(r). HFMA establishes a tag line: "Solutions and Opportunity . . . Now and For a Lifetime." HFMA forms alliance with TIPAAA. Membership reaches 35,000.

1998 New Compliance Officers Forum developed. HFMA announces new specialty in certification program the Financial Management of Physician Practices. HFMA revamps the Graham L. Davis program into the Davis Chapter Management System's new philosophy 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 repre- sents 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 BILLING® 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 BILLINGSM project initiated.

2003 HFMA releases PATIENT FRIENDLY BILLING® 2003 Summer Report. HFMA launches new Financing the Future project.

2004 HFMA legend Bob Shelton honored in Modern Healthcare magazine's Hall of Fame.

2005 HFMA's Annual National Institute achieves record attendance. Financing the Future II is launched. HFMA releases the third report addressing PATIENT FRIENDLY BILLING.

2006 HFMA releases PATIENT FRIENDLY BILLING® 2006 Summer Report on Consumerism in Healthcare. HFMA releases research report: “Overcoming Barriers to Electronic Health Record Adoption.”