Have you been thinking about joining a local, state, or national cardiac or pulmonary rehab organization? As committed advocates for the long-term vitality of cardiac and pulmonary care, LSI supports the mission and initiatives of these organizations in improving the lives of cardiopulmonary professionals and their patients. We’ve rounded up six compelling reasons to join one (or more) of these organizations, from access to educational resources, to the benefits of mentorship and support:
1. Education
Local, state and national organizations provide countless opportunities to advance your learning and stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the industry. Each organization offers many ways to increase your knowledge, including access to online resources, webinars, conferences and a host of educational material for both clinicians and patients.
Through your membership, you’ll have the chance to learn from nationally renowned experts on a wide range of topics, including clinical best practices, regulatory changes, and avoiding common pitfalls. Also, state organizations provide region-specific information regarding Medicare reimbursement and OIG, helping you stay on top of important changes.
2. Advocacy
These organizations advocate for our industry and your profession on a state and national scale, allowing your voice to be heard. For example, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) hosts the annual Day on the Hill event, which provides members with the platform to meet with legislators in Washington D.C. and lobby for the interests of our industry as constituents, voters, and healthcare professionals. Partners who sponsor these advocacy initiatives, like LSI, cannot do it alone. By attending and supporting efforts like Day on the Hill, you’ll play an essential role in advancing our industry. For more information about Day on the Hill, read our recent blog post here.
3. Collaboration
You’ll have access to the knowledge and experience of other cardiopulmonary professionals and experts from across your state and all over the country. Talking with people from other programs will give you ideas to apply to your own program, such as new techniques for educating patients in disease management.
Also, you’ll have access to a wealth of resources, which will save time when you need to create a professional presentation or proposal, or when you’d like to share cardiopulmonary research and ideas with your colleagues and hospital administrators.
By attending the annual conferences that are hosted by these organizations, you’ll be able to learn about and discuss your peers’ research, as well as your own, during poster presentations, round tables, and panel discussions.
4. Mentorship and Support
Membership will offer a venue for you to meet and get to know like-minded professionals who share your dedication to providing excellent patient care, understand the challenges that come with working in the industry, and celebrate your professional and personal success. The events, programs, and initiatives of these organizations bring together the best professionals in the industry, giving you the opportunity to both receive and provide mentorship.
5. Leadership
Your participation will demonstrate initiative and communicates that you are serious about your career to your hospital’s administration and department directors. By using the educational resources, you’ll be able to share the value of cardiopulmonary rehab and ideas for improvement and innovation, which will build your own value and that of your department within your healthcare organization.
You can also develop leadership skills by serving on a board, a committee, or by volunteering at events. This type of involvement allows you to contribute to your industry and profession on a larger scale than you could at your own program, and you’ll be recognized for your hard work and achievements. Many organizations offer awards that you might be nominated for, or you can nominate one of your colleagues who you think deserves recognition.
6. Innovation
Finally, involvement in these organizations is a great way to research and speak with service providers and vendors to learn more about the latest products and technologies that are designed to make your life easier and improve your patient-care process. By attending events and meeting with professionals from around the country, you’ll learn more about innovations at other programs and how you might apply those ideas to improve your program.
Ready to take the next step?
Start by reading our blog post about the spring state-affiliate conferences to see which organizations are close to you. You can also visit the AACVPR website to learn more about the benefits of membership.
As part of our commitment to providing resources to cardiac and pulmonary professionals, we know that our industry needs more people like you as passionate advocates and informed providers. Visit our professional scholarships page to learn more about our different scholarship options that will help you get involved with these organizations.