A New Chapter for the American College of Health Data Management
August, 28, 2026
Dear Fellows and Colleagues,
Health Data Management has always been about more than reporting on the evolution of health data. We also believe in recognizing, connecting and elevating the professionals leading that evolution.
That is the purpose of the American College of Health Data Management (ACHDM), the professional Fellowship program of Health Data Management—and today, we are significantly expanding what Fellowship can offer.
Beginning September 1, we are introducing a substantially enhanced Fellowship model designed to create more ways to participate, contribute, lead and be recognized, while increasing benefits across every level of the College.
For the first time, Fellowship will be offered across multiple distinct levels, each with its own combination of recognition, engagement and professional opportunity. Importantly, every new Fellowship level provides a broader set of benefits than the single Fellowship structure we offer today. The tiers build progressively upon one another, creating more choice while further increasing the value, opportunities and professional benefits available at every level.
The objective is not simply to grow the College. It is to build a stronger professional community around the people shaping health data, informatics, intelligence and technology—and to connect that community much more directly with the reach and editorial platform of Health Data Management.
That distinction matters because Fellowship remains a professional recognition, not simply a membership purchase. Prospective Fellows apply to the College and are considered based on their professional background, experience and qualifications. Admission is not automatic, and not every applicant will necessarily be admitted. At the same time, our expanded structure creates significantly broader pathways for accomplished professionals at different stages of their careers to participate meaningfully in the College.
For those admitted, we have substantially increased the value of Fellowship.
The new model expands opportunities for professional recognition, Health Data Management thought leadership and editorial participation, Communities of Practice, mentoring, expert panels, professional networking, HealthDataCon participation, conference speaking opportunities, leadership within the College, and more—with progressively greater opportunities across the Fellowship levels.
For our existing Fellows, this expansion is equally important. Our intent is to build substantially more around Fellowship—more ways to engage, more opportunities to contribute expertise, greater visibility, and a much stronger connection among ACHDM, Health Data Management and the new HealthDataCon platform.
That connection is especially timely.
HealthDataCon 2026 will give Fellows an entirely new global platform for participation, thought leadership and professional engagement. Fellows receive complimentary access to the full conference, and Fellowship benefits will increasingly connect directly with HealthDataCon programming and future events.
To follow HealthDataCon as its inaugural global program takes shape, create an account within the conference site to receive announcements and programming updates. For existing Fellows, simply creating the complimentary account establishes you in the conference system; we will ensure that your Fellowship status is subsequently reflected at the appropriate access level.
CREATE YOUR HEALTHDATACON ACCOUNT
We are also building an increasingly international College. ACHDM already includes Fellows around the world, and the expanded model is intended to create even more opportunities for professionals across geographies, disciplines and healthcare environments to contribute to a shared health-data community.
There is much more to share, and the expanded benefits are best seen side-by-side rather than described in a long message.
EXPLORE THE NEW ACHDM FELLOWSHIP OPTIONS
Whether you are already a Fellow or are considering applying for the first time, I hope you will take a look at what we are building.
This is not simply an expansion of benefits. It is an expansion of what we believe the College can become.
Best regards,
Kenneth R. Deans Jr., DHA, MBA, eFACHDM
President & CEO
Health Sciences South Carolina
Health Data Management
American College of Health Data Management
