What are health care associations?

Health care associations are professional organizations related to the health care industry. Their members consist of medical professionals in similar roles or specialties, or they bring together many types of professionals who are united by a common goal or interest. Professional medical associations establish their own membership rules and guidelines and are overseen by executive teams and boards of directors or trustees.

The missions of health care organizations vary. They may:

• Lobby lawmakers on health care-related issues
• Publish journals that contain cutting-edge research on relevant topics
• Certify medical professionals based on established criteria
• Issue guidelines for the general public or their members
• Set practice standards for members to follow
• Provide continuing education opportunities for members

What are the benefits of joining professional medical associations?

Medical professionals who join health care associations may receive the following benefits:

• Opportunities to network and learn from others in their profession
• Access to resources and programs that help them remain up to date on the latest advances in their fields
• Expert guidance on how to deliver the best possible care or services to patients
• Sign of professional excellence or achievement that can open the doors to employment opportunities

How do health care organizations benefit employers?

Employers of health care professionals also benefit from medical associations. Individuals who receive certification through them must demonstrate that they possess the proper training, experience and knowledge to successfully carry out their duties. As a result, certification status can indicate quality candidates when creating short lists.

In addition, candidates who belong to professional medical associations may be more effective in their roles due to the ongoing education and resources that these organizations provide. Hiring candidates who belong to health care organizations may therefore allow a practice or facility to deliver exceptional care that leads to better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction rates. For this reason, some employers mention membership in health care associations under preferred qualifications when writing job descriptions.

Top health care associations

Health care associations can be categorized by profession. The main categories include organizations for physicians, nurses, allied health workers, patient support staff, administrative roles, health care managers and general medical professionals.

Professional medical associations for physicians

The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest organization of medical stakeholders and the main professional association for physicians and medical students.

Physicians from all backgrounds can also join the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL). This organization consists of 11,000 doctors who work in leadership and management roles at their respective facilities.

There are also many health care organizations for physicians in specific specialties, such as:

• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)
• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
• American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• American Association of Immunologists (AAI)
• American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS)
• American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
• American College of Surgeons Professional Association (ACS)
• American Optometric Association (AOA)
• American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA)
• American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
• American Society of Hematology (ASH)
• American Urological Association (AUA)
• Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA)
• Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO)
• National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)

Health care organizations for nurses

The American Nurses Association (ANA) represents 4 million Registered Nurses who work in the U.S. It grants certifications and advocates for the nursing profession.

Nurses can also join health care organizations related to specific specialties, including:

• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
• American Association of Managed Care Nurses (AAMCN)
• American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA)
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
• American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN)
• American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA)
• Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON)
• Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN)
• Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
• Infusion Nurses Society (INS)
• National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS)
• National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN)
• Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN)

Health care associations for allied health workers

Allied health workers are professionals whose work aids in the identification, evaluation, prevention and treatment of illnesses and diseases. Some professional organizations include:

• Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics for nutritionists and dietitians
• American Academy of PAs (AAPA) for physicians assistants
• American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) for respiratory therapists and related positions
• American Association of Medical Dosimetrists (AAMD) for medical dosimetrists
• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) for occupational therapists
• American Society of Anesthesia Technologists & Technicians (ASATT) for anesthesia technologists and technicians
• American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) for professionals who administer x-rays, MRIs and similar diagnostic tests
• Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) for surgical technologists
• National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) for substance abuse counselors and specialists
• National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) for emergency medical technicians and paramedics

Professional organizations for patient support staff

Patient support staff includes professionals who advocate for patients. Some health care organizations include:

• American Case Management Association (ACMA) and Case Management Society of America (CMSA) for case managers
• American College of Physician Advisors (ACPA) for physician advisors
• Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) for child life professionals
• National Association of health care Access Management (NAHAM) for patient access service providers

Professional medical associations for administrative roles

Individuals who work in administrative fields may join the following professional medical associations:

• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) for professionals in health data
• American Society for health care Risk Management (ASHRM) for health care risk managers
• Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) for infection preventionists
• Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) for medical illustrators
• Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) for compliance officers
• International Association for health care Security & Safety (IAHSS) for security officers
• National Association for health care Quality (NAHQ) for quality managers and staff
• National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (NHCAA) for fraud prevention and security specialists who combat health care fraud

Associations for health care managers

Managers and leaders in the health care industry may become members of one of these health care associations:

• American Association of health care Administrative Management (AAHAM) for health care administrative managers in hospitals and other facilities
• American Association of Medical Society Executives (AAMSE) for high-level executives of health care associations
• American College of health care Executives (ACHE) for high-level executives employed by hospitals and other facilities
• Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) for managers of medical practices and medical groups
• Society for Health Care Strategy & Market Development (SHSMD) for members of leadership teams involved in strategy and marketing

Related: The Difference Between Management and Leadership

General membership health care associations

The following health care associations represent health care professionals from a variety of backgrounds:

• American Society of Pharmacovigilance (ASP), devoted to reducing incidences of drug adverse effects
• Association for the Health Care Environment (AHE) for professionals employed by resident care facilities
• Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) for all professionals employed in hospitals
• International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) for all professionals involved in rehabilitative medicine