Association of University Programs in Health Administration Finds Flexibility with MemberSuite AMS

Discover how the Association of University Programs in Health Administration streamlined operations with MemberSuite AMS by GrowthZone, replacing manual billing with automation and taking event registration in-house.

A Built for Complexity, Not Around It

The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) had outgrown its existing platform, an inflexible system with limited reporting that forced Director of Membership Chris Anne Sanyer to prepare all billing by hand. AUPHA needed a solution that could support its complex membership structure without costly custom development. MemberSuite AMS gave the association the flexibility, automation, and support to move forward with confidence.

Flexible Membership Structure

MemberSuite AMS handles AUPHA's complex membership structure through configuration, allowing multiple organizations to be linked to a single member's record without costly customization.

Automated Billing

Manual, hand-prepared invoices are gone. Automated billing now lets AUPHA create separate invoices by program, helping more members pay dues ahead of schedule.

In-House Event Registration

AUPHA moved event registration online and in-house, eliminating the need for an outside event planning company and saving significant costs.

A Responsive Implementation Partner

A dedicated Customer Success Manager and support team guided AUPHA through data migration and Higher Logic integration with patience and organization.

A Global Network Outgrowing Its Platform

The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is a global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals, and organizations dedicated to improving health and healthcare delivery through excellence in healthcare management and policy education. As Director of Membership, Chris Anne Sanyer sits at the center of that mission. By 2013, the tools she had to work with were holding the organization back.

The Challenge: A System That Couldn't Keep Up

AUPHA's search for a new AMS began in 2013. The association had come to the decision to replace its existing platform because it had no flexibility and limited reporting capabilities.

The limitations went beyond reporting. AUPHA's financial system meant Chris was forced to prepare all of the association's billing by hand, a process that was not only inefficient but consumed a great deal of her time and effort.

"Due to our unique member structure, we wanted a platform that offered the flexibility we needed. In our search, we did not find anyone else that could handle our membership structure through configuration versus costly (and risky to build) customizations."

Finding the Right Fit

AUPHA staff had an opportunity to meet with the MemberSuite AMS team during ASAE's Technology Conference and Exposition in 2017. During the meeting, they outlined their requirements for a new AMS and explained that, as a small organization, they didn't need a full suite of AMS modules. Instead, they focused their search on solutions that provided functionality for CMS, events, financial management, and accounting.

Two other considerations shaped the decision. AUPHA needed a platform that would integrate with Higher Logic, the cloud-based system the organization used for its website and online communities. And it needed a system that could handle its complex membership structure, specifically, one that would allow various organizations to be attached to a single person's membership record.

MemberSuite AMS met AUPHA's need for a cloud-based solution that integrated accounting, events, and reporting, while also providing the flexibility to handle its complex member structure and compatibility with Higher Logic.

"MemberSuite AMS was very helpful and held our hand throughout the entire implementation process, including with our integrations."

A Hands-On Implementation

Throughout implementation, the MemberSuite AMS team stayed closely connected to AUPHA to ensure the process went smoothly. Some AUPHA team members had been heavily involved from the start, while others weren't part of the day-to-day process. "We had a lot of questions," Chris said. When it came time for upper management to get involved, many of those same questions came up again. "The MemberSuite AMS team was very patient with us."

A key part of implementation required extracting all of AUPHA's existing data from its old system and moving it into MemberSuite AMS. Chris said it was a long process, since the organization wanted to take its time and make sure everything transferred correctly, deciding not only what data to move but how to move it, which meant a lot of time spent reviewing Excel spreadsheets.

"MemberSuite AMS made the transition a lot easier. MemberSuite AMS' implementation team was very organized. It is a platform we can communicate with. Jointly, we created a timeline and assigned what each person was expected to do."

"We needed a real partner, one who was responsive. We've found that in MemberSuite AMS, we have a dedicated Customer Success Manager and a support team that responds to our needs."

The Results

Partnering with MemberSuite AMS finally gave AUPHA a solution built to handle its complex membership structure, with the flexibility to link one member's record to multiple organizations through a configurable relationship structure.

Billing changed just as significantly. Instead of preparing invoices by hand, AUPHA now runs automated, simplified billing. "Now, I can do it the way I want," Chris said. The shift also let AUPHA meet member requests for simpler billing, using automated processes to generate separate invoices for members' programs. As a result, more members paid their dues ahead of time in 2018.

Meeting registration became simpler too. AUPHA had previously relied on an outside event planning company; with MemberSuite AMS, the association now handles its own event registration online. "That was a key factor in our decision to move away from the event planning company," Chris said. "That alone has saved us a significant amount of money."

Above all the software's capabilities, working with the MemberSuite AMS team has been AUPHA's favorite part of the partnership.

I really like the people we've worked with. The people part comes first. The customer support comes before the platform.

Chris Anne Sanyer

Director of Membership, Association of University Programs in Health Administration

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