Committees and task forces are brought together to provide input and recommendations to SHSMD on a specific project, professional development initiative, member benefit, service, or issue. Committees and task forces are led by SHSMD members who are supported by SHSMD staff and a liaison from the Society’s Board of Directors.

Expected Time Commitment
Most committees and task forces are designed to meet over a three to four month period and disband when their work is completed.

How Work Gets Done
Meetings are conducted through conference calls. Members are expected to participate in 4-8 conference calls. Work can also be conducted through e-mails and a SHSMD online platform. Agenda and meeting materials are sent to participants via e-mail prior to the conference calls.

Oppportunities as of January 2012: *

Annual Conference Scholarship Task Force
Core Competency Task Forces
New Member Orientation Task Force
New Member Reception Task Force
Patient Experience/Customer Experience Task Force
Physician Strategies Committee
Social Media Trends Task Force
Strategic Planning Task Force
Task Force on Advocacy for the Strategy Disciplines
Additional Volunteer Opportunities

* As new committee and task forces are created, members will be notified.

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Annual Conference Scholarship Task Force (July–August)
The members of this task force review criteria used in past years to award scholarships to the Society’s Annual Conference and make recommendations regarding any changes. They review scholarship applications and select scholarship recipients.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Society members who have attended the Annual Conference at least twice

Core Competency Task Forces (February–August)
Three task forces will provide input to the development of core competencies for the major disciplines represented in the Society’s membership: planning, marketing, and public relations/communications. Members of these task forces may be required to attend one in-person meeting (SHSMD will cover costs).

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Provider-based members with mid- or senior-level responsibilities for marketing, planning, or public relations/communications
• Marketing, planning, or public relations consultants who advise hospitals regarding departmental structure, competencies, and effectiveness measures

New Member Orientation Task Force (February–April)
The members of this task force will work with SHSMD staff to develop comprehensive orientation materials for new members. Volunteers will also be responsible for welcoming new members and providing follow-up to the orientation program.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• New and seasoned Society members, representing all levels of experience in marketing, planning, and public relations/communications

New Member Reception Task Force (July–September)
Task force members will work with SHSMD staff to plan the New Member Reception at the Society Annual Conference, September 19-22 in Philadelphia.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Members planning to attend the 2012 Annual Conference

Patient Experience/Customer Experience Task Force (February–June)
This task force will be asked to make recommendations regarding possible tools, information/resources, and professional development opportunities that SHSMD might develop to support members with organizational responsibilities for enhancing patient/customer experiences.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Members with responsibilities for developing and managing a hospital’s patient experience program or those responsible for implementing patient experience programs and tactics
• Consultants working with hospitals on developing and enhancing patient experience programs

Physician Strategies Committee (April–August)
This committee makes recommendations regarding how SHSMD can serve the needs of its marketing, planning, and communications members as they work with physicians.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Those having responsibilities for developing physician strategies and physician relations programs
• Consultants working with hospitals on physician strategies, physician relations, and medical staff issues

Social Media Trends Task Force (March–October)
This task force will make recommendations for a new SHSMD benchmarking survey on how hospitals/health systems are using social media.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Those engaged in developing social media strategies in hospitals/health systems and those involved in implementing social media programs
• Consultants providing hospitals/health systems with social media expertise

Strategic Planning Task Force (March–June)
This task force will make recommendations on ways SHSMD can enhance its offerings and resources for strategic planners.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Members whose primary responsibility is strategic planning
• Those who provide strategic planning consulting to hospitals/health systems

Task Force on Advocacy for the Strategy Disciplines (February–November)
This task force provides strategies for enhancing the understanding of the contributions strategy (marketing, planning, public relations, and physician relations) executives make in healthcare organizations.

This volunteer opportunity is recommended for:

• Provider-based members who are part of their organization’s senior management teams
• Consultants who interact with C-suite executives

Additional Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to serving on a committee or task force, SHSMD encourages members to volunteer for the following opportunities:

• Annual Conference Moderator
  Serving as a moderator is one of the most important jobs at the SHSMD Annual Conference. Moderators act as hosts and coordinators for the sessions, introducing the speakers, ensuring that everything goes as planned, and providing a safety net when quick action in coordination with staff is required. (All conference expenses are the responsibility of the moderator.)
  
  
• Annual Conference Round Table Leader
  Round Table Leaders have informal discussions at tables for 10 held during lunch. Each table has a topic and leader to guide the discussion. Attendees choose what table to sit at on a first-come, first-served basis. Information regarding singing up as a Round Table leader will be sent out closer to the Annual Conference date. (All conference expenses are the responsibility of the Round-Table Leader.)
  
  
• Spectrum Author
  SHSMD encourages members to submit articles for Spectrum, its bimonthly newsletter. (See newsletter for manuscript requirements.)