Heard the News?

News travels fast among Association Management Center's (AMC's) clients, particularly when the news is posted online.

The stir began in September 2007, when the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) posted its premiere online newsletter, NAHQ E-News. Designed to reflect NAHQ's newly updated brand, NAHQ E-News received rave reviews from NAHQ members who love the publication's staff-written articles on relevant and timely topics. By 2009, the newsletter had won two national publishing awards—the ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership's Gold Circle Award and an APEX (Awards for Publication Excellence) award.

Newsletter sections focus on industry trends, the evolving and changing role of the healthcare quality professional, leadership skills and tools, expanded conference coverage, certification information, and association news. A Quality Collaborative section features regular articles written by other leading industry groups, including the primary healthcare accreditation organization and a federal research agency on quality.

As an online newsletter, NAHQ E-News is highly interactive and a cinch to navigate. Hyperlinks to websites and contacts are sprinkled throughout the publication, and regular opinion polls allow members to voice their opinions on current topics covered in each issue.

Meanwhile, tracking reports help NAHQ ascertain information on readers, including how many are receiving and reading the newsletter, and what articles they're reading. So far, reports find that NAHQ E-News readership remains far above national averages. Several other AMC clients have been inspired by NAHQ's success and are looking into ways to reenergize their newsletters and reach members with important news.