Association braves road trip
By HME News Staff
Updated Tue September 30, 2008
ATLANTA--The American Association of Breast Care Professionals (AABCP) pulled into Atlanta in July, the first stop on a nationwide tour for association officials to meet members on their home turfs, said Rhonda Turner, association president.
“We put some faces to names, we explain who we are and we get some feedback on problems they are having,” she said. “With face-to-face meetings, they are more open and ask very revealing questions.”
AABCP visited 15 providers in Atlanta ranging from tiny boutiques to hospital-based providers.
“We met some wonderful, devoted women,” said Turner. “They got into business for the right reasons and they want to stay in business.”
Accreditation is the No. 1 thing providers ask about. The money required is a major issue, she said.
AABCP plans to visit several other cities, including Chicago and Dallas this fall.
The tour is part of the year-old association's growth plan. AABCP recently “teched up” its Web site, adding video, podcasts and easier-to-use navigation. Providers can participate in surveys, keep up-to-date on news and research, and learn how to market their business.
AABCP has 942 members-individual post-mastectomy fitters and HMEs. But with 5,000 to 6,000 certified fitters nationally, Turner says there's always room for more.
“With numbers, it shows legislators that we are out there,” said Turner. “There is representation for these people and it is a large constituency.”
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