Formal Launch of Professional Women in Healthcare Will Take Place at October HIDA Meeting

The recently formed Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH) will formally launch the organization at this years Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) conference in Chicago. A PWH kiosk in the HIDA membership pavilion (#1931) on the trade show floor, as well as executive council members will help to raise awareness of the group and inform women of membership, volunteering and mentoring opportunities. On Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004 PWH will host a networking breakfast and leadership program at its inaugural business meeting.

According to its mission statement, Professional Women in Healthcare is dedicated to facilitating growth and progressive leadership in the healthcare industry. Its mission is to create an environment of professional and personal development leveraging the intellectual capital of industry leaders through networking venues, education, and events.

Membership in PWH is open to all women that are employed by a HIDA member healthcare distributor or manufacturer. Annual dues will be collected to support programming and networking events. An introductory membership packet will be available at the PWH event at the HIDA conference. Although not part of HIDA, PWH will use HIDA meetings and conferences as a venue for their own meetings.

Says Anne Eiting Klamar, MD, executive council chair of PWH, Women are hungry for personal and  professional growth, and they dont know where to get it.

The mission of the group will be to help them find it. PWH will also offer mentoring programs as one of its first official actions.

Our purpose is to prevent women from getting stopped at the lowest levels, and to give them a support  system, so they will stay in the industry, says executive council vice chair Cindy Juhas. Unfortunately, a lot of great women come and go.

Source: HIDA