I. MembershipThe membership shall be composed of various classes.

  • Membership Types/Qualifications
  • A LOCAL MEMBER shall be an individual who has been duly nominated and accepted for membership; has paid their dues and fees; is currently employed by a healthcare provider, involved in healthcare business management, patient finance, or accounts receivable management.
  • A NATIONAL MEMBER shall be one who is a member of the association as well as a local member. In the event the association is not affiliated with AAHAM, this designation shall terminate and these members shall be designated local members.
  • AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER shall be an), individual who has been duly nominated and accepted for membership; has paid their dues and fees; who shares an interest in healthcare business management, patient finance or accounts receivable management, but does not qualify as a local member.
  • A LIFE MEMBER is a current or past member or associate member of the association who has been voted life member status by majority vote of the Board of Directors.  No annual association dues shall be assessed to a life member. Life membership carries the rights and duties of associate membership.
  • INACTIVE MEMBERSHIP STATUS
    • Applies to any member or associate member who has failed to remain current in his/her duties for a period of 90 days after being billed. To be reinstated, the individual must be nominated and accepted for membership according to the established procedures for new, membership.
    • Geography – There shall be no geographic limits on membership.
    • Transferability – All memberships are on an individual basis and shall not be transferable to another person. Membership type and status will automatically change when the individual’s qualifications change.
    • Method of acceptance – Acceptance of new members shall be made by the Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Membership committee, from persons who have submitted a completed application and payment of one year’s annual dues and fees, and who have been nominated by any active member.
    • Rights and Duties of Membership A local member shall share all rights and duties of membership; shall have the right to vote in all elections and on all matters brought before the members for vote.  A national member shall share all rights and duties of a local member and shall have the right to vote. Only national members shall be eligible to hold elected office. In the event the association is not affiliated with AAHAM, all local members shall be eligible to hold office.  An associate member shall share all rights and duties of membership, except to hold elected office and to vote.  A life member shall share all rights and duties of membership, except to hold elected office and to vote. Inactive membership status results in loss of all membership rights and the individual will be dropped from the membership roles at any time without notice.

II.  Dues and Fees

  • Annual dues shall before a fiscal year in an amount to be established by the Board of Directors from time to time.
  • The Board of Directors may impose a new membership application fee, in an amount to be determined from time to time, which shall accompany the application.
  • New applications for membership, accompanied by the proper amount of dues and fees, received after the first day of the last quarter of the membership year shall constitute payment for the remaining portion of the membership year for the following membership year.
  • Dues shall be paid and received in the office of the Treasurer by the first day of the membership year.  Failure to pay by such date shall result in being considered on inactive membership status.
  • A new member who submits an application for membership, accompanied by the appropriate dues and fees, which is received in the office of the Treasurer after the first day of the third quarter of the membership year shall have the right to vote during the remainder of that membership year.

III.   General Member Votes  (non-election)

  • Eligibility – All local and national members shall have the right to vote.
  • In person, voice, hand count or secret ballot votes may be taken at any business, special or membership-meeting issues brought before the members, at the discretion of the President. No Proxy voting will be permitted. Any member not agreeing with a voice vote determination mark request a hand count or secret ballot vote is taken immediately.
  • Mail Votes – the President may specify Mail voting on significant issues, unless otherwise directed by the bylaws. A system of mailing the ballots and receiving the mail votes shall be designated to maintain the security and secrecy of the mail ballots and votes.  Ballots must be mailed to the members of the association, at least 30 days prior to the last day of the voting period, and to be counted, must be returned by the members postmarked on or before the date specified on the ballot as the last day of the voting period.
  • Simple majority of all eligible members voting shall determine all votes, unless otherwise specified in the bylaws.
  • The Secretary will be responsible for receiving, counting and reporting member votes or ballots.

IV.  Officers and The Board of Directors

  • The elected officers of the association shall be a President, a first Vice President, a second Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
  • Qualifications: The privilege of serving as an elected officer shall be limited to national members of high ethical and moral standards.
  • Duties of the Officers – PRESIDENT.- Will act as the Chief Operating Officer of the Association, preside at all general membership meetings, be an ex officio member of all committees (except the Nominating committee), call business membership and special meetings, execute policy and provide leadership to the membership. The President shall consult with the Executive Committee and Board of Directors and keep them fully informed on all association activities.
    • FIRST VICE PRESIDENT:  Shall perform the duties of the President in the President’s absence, shall be responsible for all programs, educational, legislative and reimbursement activities of the association.
    • SECOND VICE PRESIDENT: Shall perform the duties of the First Vice President in his or her absence, shall be primarily responsible for membership-related activities, such as, but not limited to, membership, publication, job box, awards, and directories.
    • SECRETARY: Shall notify membership of scheduled meetings, maintain all records and history of the organization, maintain minutes of the Board of Directors and Membership meetings, tabulate and validate all election results and membership votes.
    • TREASURER: Shall be responsible to account for all monies and expenditures of the association, according to generally accepted accounting practices and the directories of the Board, receive and deposit all monies, make all cash disbursements, act as the financial watchdog for the association, develop and propose to the Board revisions to the guidelines for expenditures, prepare and submit quarterly and special financial reports to the Board, supervise bi-annual audits (related to change in officers), file tax returns as required and serve as an ex officio member of the Ways and Means Committee.
  • The elected officers shall be members of the Board of Directors.
  • The elected officers shall appoint four members, who may be local or national members, as chairpersons of committees. The appointed chairpersons shall be members of the Board of Directors and shall report to the officer as set forth in Article VII. The appointed Board Members shall have the right to vote.

V.   Term of Office for Officers and Board Members

  • Elections for officers and board members shall be held biannually prior to the end of even numbered years.
  • The term of all officers shall be two years.
  • New officers and Board members will assume their responsibilities on the first day of odd numbered years, following their election.
  • All officers and Board members can serve consecutive terms.
  • Nominations will be by a Nominating Committee and chairperson appointed by the Executive Committee prior to the ninth month of even numbered years for the purpose of nominating candidates and accepting nominations from the members for all offices and board positions scheduled for election that year.
  • The Nominating Committee shall submit to the Board of Directors a written list of nominated candidates (one or more) for each office and board position scheduled for election, prior to the tenth month of even numbered years.
  • Individual association members may make nominations for each office and board position scheduled for election by submitting the name, nominating office and qualifications of the nominee to the Nominating Committee in writing prior to the tenth month of even numbered years.
  • Ballots containing the names of all eligible and properly nominated candidates for each office and board position scheduled for election will be prepared by the Nominating Committee and mailed by the Secretary to all members eligible to vote, prior to the eleventh month of even numbered years.
  • Only properly signed and dated ballots received by the Secretary from active members by the first day of the twelfth month of even numbered years will be counted in the election result tabulation.
  • All elections will be determined by a simple majority of votes cast.
  • The Secretary will be responsible for receiving, tabulating, validating and recording all ballots. The tabulated election results and the original ballots will be turned over to the Board of Directors.
  • The Board of Directors will be responsible for final validation and announcement of election results.
  • The final authority on all election results will be the Board of Directors.
  • If any member of the Board of Directors shall be unable to perform the duties of his/her office, the Board of Directors may declare the office vacated by vote of the majority of the remaining Board. If an officer or board member has been adjudged to have violated the codes of ethics promulgated by this organization, the office shall be declared vacant, after final decision by the Board of Directors, by majority vote (secret ballot) of said Board, shall elect a successor to fill the unexpired term of the said office. The Board member affected shall not participate in the voting.

VI.  Meetings

  • Annual Meeting – At least one annual business meeting will be scheduled by the President.  Notification of this meeting must be in writing and mailed to the entire membership at least thirty days prior to the scheduled date. The location of all meetings may be determined by the President. There shall be no quorum requirements to convene an annual meeting.
  • Special Business Meeting – The President may call special business meetings under the same rules specified for the annual meeting.
  • Board Meeting – At least four Board of Constitution and Bylaws

Director’s meetings shall be held each year. Notification of these meetings must be in writing and mailed to all Board members at least thirty days prior to the scheduled date. The date, time and location of all Board meetings shall be determined by the Chairperson. A quorum of five Board members must be present to conduct business. All votes, unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws, will be determined by a majority of those present.

VII. Committees

  • Standing Committees and Responsible Officer
    • Certification Accreditation – Second VP
    • Education – First VP
    • Membership – Second VP
    • Program – First VP
    • Publications – Second VP
    • Reimbursement – First VP
    • Ways and Means – Treasurer
  • Nominating Committee – Shall be appointed every two years by the Executive Committee as specified under nominations section. C Ethics Committee – Shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Board and report to the Board. All reports of ethics violations shall be first investigated and reviewed by this committee.  This committee will refer all ethics violation reports to the Board or refer with no comments, based on their findings.
  • Special Temporary Committee – The President, may, from time to time, find it prudent to establish committees to handle various types of association business. The President may appoint, and terminate, these committees at his or her discretion.
  • Committee Chairpersons – A Committee Chairperson who is not a member of the Board of Directors can only be removed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

VIII.  Association Societies

From time to time it might be useful to designate specialty “societies” within the association to promote and represent the special interest segments of the membership.  These societies will be designated by the President and society chairpersons will be appointed by the President. Society membership will be on a voluntary basis by the membership. Societies will have standing committee status within the association.

IX.  Associations with Other Associations

The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management of Philadelphia and vicinity shall designate itself a chapter of the American Association of Healthcare

Administrative Management, and as a chapter it will participate in the functions and activities of AAHAM. The association shall be established as the Ben Franklin Chapter, aka. The Philadelphia Chapter of AAHAM.

X.   Amendments to the Bylaws

The bylaws of the association may be amended, repealed or added to in the following manner: a) Any member of the association may propose a change to the bylaws.  If shall be in writing and shall be submitted to the president of the Board who shall place it in the agenda of the next scheduled Board meeting.

  • The Board of Directors shall, by a majority vote of those present and voting, determine if the proposed change shall be submitted to the membership for a vote.
  • Notification of all members shall be in writing and shall inform members of the article or articles to be changed.
  • The article or articles to be changed shall be submitted to the members on their existing form and in the form of the proposed change.
  • Voting on any change shall be by mail ballot submitted to the members and a two-thirds (213) vote of the members voting shall be required to adopt the said change.