Recently, the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) passed the 30,000 certificant mark — a great accomplishment for IAHCSMM and its certificants. Some Central Service/Sterile Processing (CS/SP) professionals, however, may question whether they are just certified by IAHCSMM or whether they are also a member of the Association. They may have paid for the renewal of their annual certification, but the question may remain whether they renewed their certification or added their IAHCSMM membership.
It is important to understand that being certified does not automatically equate to being an IAHCSMM member (and individuals do not need to be certified to enjoy all the benefits of membership). Anyone who works within a CS/SP department (Active status) or has an allied connection with the department (Associate status) can become an IAHCSMM member. Many benefits can be gained by re-certifying with the IAHCSMM membership. Recertifying with an IAHCSMM membership costs only 84 cents per month and the benefits far outweigh the $10 monthly fee.
Those who are already a member of IAHCSMM likely can attest to the benefits, but this article may highlight benefits that some may not have known were available. I encourage those who are aware of the membership benefits to share this article with co-workers or others who may not have chosen membership at the time of their recertification, or with uncertified CS/SP professionals who will still benefit from IAHCSMM membership.
The IAHCSMM website contains of all this information and more (www.iahcsmm.org). Those who did not select the membership option when they re-certified with IAHCSMM may do so at any time.
