HFMA Member Engagement Award Program
Member Engagement Award Point Categories, Values, and Definitions
About the HFMA Member Engagement Award Program
HFMA’s strength comes from members who contribute their time, ideas, and energy to serve the healthcare industry, advance their profession, and support one another. Through involvement at the chapter, regional, and national levels, members gain opportunities for professional development, information sharing, networking, advocacy, and leadership.
The HFMA Member Engagement Award Program recognizes these contributions by awarding points for eligible volunteer activities. Members can earn points by writing and reviewing content, serving on committees, supporting events, speaking or moderating at programs, mentoring, and participating in other engagement opportunities.
The program was established in 1960 as the Founders Merit Award Series. It was revised in 2004 to refocus on volunteer service and refreshed again in 2024 to reflect current engagement opportunities. At that time, it was renamed the Member Engagement Award Program to emphasize the many ways members can contribute at every level of HFMA.
By encouraging continued participation, the program celebrates member service while helping volunteers progress toward Bronze, Silver, and Gold recognition.
The Awards
HFMA recognizes members as they reach key engagement milestones:
Bronze Award
Earned after accumulating 25 engagement points.
Silver Award
Earned after accumulating 50 total engagement points.
Gold Award
Earned after accumulating 75 total engagement points.
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor recognizes exceptional and sustained service to HFMA.
A member may be nominated for the Medal of Honor by their Chapter Board of Directors after:
- Remaining actively involved in HFMA for at least three years after earning the Gold Award
- Providing significant service at the chapter, regional, or national level during at least two of those years
- Remaining an HFMA member in good standing
Chapters may nominate eligible members at any time during the year.
Ways to Earn Engagement Points
Literary Contributions
| Literary Contributions | Point Value | Points Entered by HFMA National | Points Entered by Member | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Write Articles – Local Chapter | 2 | Yes | Write and publish an article in a local HFMA chapter publication. Points are awarded each time an article is published, with a maximum of 10 points earned annually. | |
| Write Articles – National | 2 | Yes | Write and publish an article in an HFMA national publication, including hfm or Notes from National. A maximum of 10 points may be earned annually. | |
| Article/Content Review – National | 2 | Yes | Review any of the following for HFMA National: e-learning materials, manuscripts, white papers, self-study materials, articles or peer reviews. A maximum of 10 points may be earned annually. | |
| Book Review – National | 2 | Yes | Complete a book review and publish it in hfm. This category includes peer reviews. A maximum of 10 points may be earned annually. | |
| Review of HFMA Programs/Initiatives | 2 | Yes | Review and provide feedback on HFMA programs, products, industry initiative content, or review and rate pitches submitted under the HFMA Start-Up Cup program. If an honorarium is received, points are not available. |
Serving in Chapter Committees
All points entered by chapter.
| Chapter Committees | Point Value | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter President | 8 | Serve as Chapter President. |
| Chapter Officers/Key Committee Chairs | 5 | Chapter officers include President-elect, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Secretary/Treasurer. Key committee chairs include Newsletter Chair, Program Chair, Certification Contact, Founders Contact, DCMS Contact, Membership Chair, Sponsorship Chair, Membership Directory Contact and Webmaster. |
| Chapter Board of Directors | 3 | Participate as a member of the Chapter Board. |
| Other Committee Chair | 4 | Chair any chapter committee, excluding key committee positions, or chair a regional committee. Officer positions are not excluded for regional committees. |
| Co-Chair | 3 | Serve as co-chair of any chapter committee or regional committee. Officer positions are not excluded for regional committees. |
| Committee Member | 2 | Serve as a member of any chapter committee, excluding the Chapter Board, or as a member of a regional committee. Officer positions are not excluded for regional committees. |
Serving in National Committees
All points entered by HFMA National.
| National Committees | Point Value | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| National Chairman | 12 | Serve as National Chairman. |
| National Officers | 8 | Includes Chair-elect and Secretary/Treasurer. |
| National Board of Directors | 6 | Serve on the National Board of Directors. |
| National Committees | 4 | Serve on a National Committee. Includes the National Advisory Council, Principles and Practices Board, Executive Committee, Board of Examiners, Chapter Advancement Team Forums, Governance Committee, Regional Executive Council Chair and Co-Chair, Regional Executives, Communities of Practice and the hfm Article Review Committee. |
| RE2 | 3 | Serve as liaison for the region at the national level. |
| RE3 | 2 | Serve as liaison for the region at the national level. |
| National Task Force | 2 | Serve on a National Task Force or National Judging Committee. |
| National Committee – Miscellaneous | 1 | Serve on a miscellaneous National Committee, such as a Steering Committee or Executive Council. |
| National Committee – Miscellaneous Leader | 2 | Lead a miscellaneous National Committee, such as a Steering Committee or Executive Council. |
Event Contributions
All points entered by member.
| Event Contributions | Point Value | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Event Volunteers | 2 | Participate in a volunteer role at a chapter or national meeting. Activities may include serving as an Annual Conference volunteer, coordinating chapter meeting or event setup, assisting with meeting registration, performing assigned duties that support the overall operation of the meeting, or participating in micro-volunteer opportunities. |
| Speakers – Subsequent Presentations of the Same Topic | 1 | Participate as a speaker in a formal HFMA National or chapter program when presenting material that was previously presented. |
| Speakers – First Presentation of a Topic | 2 | Participate as a speaaker in a formal HFMA National or chapter program when presenting a topic for the first time. This includes the preparation time needed to design the program. |
| Facilitation/Moderation | 1 | Participate as a meeting facilitator or panel moderator in a formal HFMA National or chapter program. The role of webinar moderator is excluded unless the individual is moderating a panel. |
Miscellaneous
All points entered by member.
| Miscellaneous | Point Value | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Mentor | 1 | Serve as a mentor for a one-year term and complete any activities required by the chapter. |
Important Reminders
- Although HFMA National and the chapters track chapter and national committee engagement points, it is ultimately the responsibility of the individual member to report points earned using the Awards input screen in their member profile. To add a missing chapter or national committee position, reach out to the Chapter’s Award Chairperson, who serves as a liaison to HFMA National. Member points are automatically transferred from one chapter to another.
- Retroactive scoring of points for all categories is permissible if appropriate documentation is provided.
- No points are earned for serving terms of office of less than one-half of a chapter’s fiscal year for any category, services a member is paid to perform, or for chapter participation prior to HFMA membership.
- Chapter members can view their Member Engagement points on the HFMA website under My Account > My Engagement Points in their personal profiles. Any discrepancies between points awarded and points earned should be reported to the Chapter’s Award Chairperson.
- No points are awarded when an honorarium is provided.