Winter 2003 Newsletter

November 01, 2003 

WHAT A YEAR!

 
Thanks to everyone who participated in and helped with our conference in November. It topped a busy year and a very solid year for HCO, both financially and event-wise. At our annual conference, I presented a "State of the Society" address of sorts. Together this year, we have:

Revitalized the organization.

Sustained stable membership and prospect lists.

Endeavored to have an active, engaged board of directors.

Provided stable benefits and pricing.

Maintained a strong treasury.

Implemented two annual events– Day at the Capitol and the Fall Conference.

Offered enhanced member communications through our revamped Web site, www.healthcarecommunicatorsoforegon.com .

In short, 2003 was a successful year. Thank you chiefly to our incredible board of directors:
Past President Todd Sprague, Director of Marketing & Community Relations for St. Charles Medical Center.
Treasurer Karen Normandin, Communications Director for the Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems
Secretary Kathleen Nickel, Director of Marketing & Communications for Mercy Healthcare
Member-At-Large Delaine Humphreys, Community Encourager for Lower Umpqua Hospital
Communications Coordinator Barbara Pongracz-Bartha, Publications Consultant
Events Coordinator Lori Callister, Lori Callister Marketing & Communications
Dianne Danowski Smith APR, 2003 HCO President and Portland Director, The Ulum Group

WE NEED YOU!
We need YOU! We are looking for a dynamic leader or two to serve HCO members as a part of the board of directors and committees. Your assistance and support is needed in membership recruitment, financial planning and program/event implementation. We have position descriptions, please contact Dianne Danowski Smith, HCO President, at ddsmith@ulum.com by January 3 for more information.

Welcome all new HCO members. Thanks for joining HCO and checkout our web site at http://www.healthcarecommunicatorsoforegon.org/ The member's only section consists of a bulletin board listing members, and a place to post job openings/resumes and discussion topics. List an opening, a happening or start a chat. New members can register in the bulletin board and receive email there as well.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

For members only: Your 2003 HCO board has worked hard this year to get our HCO house in order. We found we needed to update the organization's bylaws. To implement these changes, the membership must approve the revised bylaws. We have attached them for your review. This is important business -- please signal your approval by sending an email saying "YES" to pongracz@aracnet.com. Please vote by Monday January 12, 2004.



INTERESTING TID-BITS

How Much for Just the Spider? Strategic Web Site Marketing for Small Budget Businesses
Written by former Nestle marketing executive, Bobette Kyle. Specific to building web sites, marketing on the web and maximizing savings. Written when she couldn't find adequate resources on building/marketing web sites after she had to develop web site for a freelance client. Accompanying web site www.websitemarketingplan.com provides several resources, articles and advice for building and promoting your web site and marketing on the Internet.

Roundtable on Hospital Communications in a Mass Casualty Radiological Event
A roundtable conference held in January 2003 by the Centers for Disease Control. Specific to the challenges hospitals might face in communicating to internal and external audiences in the case of a community emergency or terrorist attack involving radioactive materials. Roundtable included risk communicatio