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Welcome to the 2023/2024 registration year! This marks the second renewal period completed using Alinity and it proves to be a much smoother process year after year. We finished September 30 with 8,217 members renewed.
To help members through the process, two instructional videos were uploaded in the member portal. The first was a renewal guide which was available on the home page and on the instructions page of the renewal application. The second was an instructional and informational guide explaining the CC program details and demonstrating how to complete the CC form which was at the top of the CC form page and on the home page of the portal. The renewal video was viewed 1,525 times and the CC video was viewed 1,123 times. Additionally, there were written instruction guides for completing renewal and the CC form on the home page and in the renewal application. To assist members, staff were available to provide support over the phone, by email and online via the website live chat. We completed the renewal period with 472 chats.
Overall, the renewal period went smoothly with only a few minor issues. We are continuously working to improve the process and will be making minor updates for next year to be even more successful.
College staff received similar questions or misunderstandings about the renewal process. Below are a few of the most common ones from this year:
The Save and Exit or Next button
This year, there seemed to be confusion with some members unsure of which button at the bottom of the renewal application to select. The ‘Save and Exit’ button allows you to save your progress and return to the application later. The ‘Next’ button allows you to move onto the next part of the application. Although the ‘Next’ button does not specifically say it saves your progress, by moving onto the next page, your progress is saved in the system. We will be looking into ways to improve this for next year to ensure clarity for members.
Mandatory employer training not on the CE list
The Continuing Education list is comprised of approved education activities that meet the College’s CE Requirements. One requirement is that the activity must be inclusive and available to all members. Many employer training modules, even if they are mandatory from your employer, are not available to all regulated members and do not meet the CE requirements. Therefore, these fall under the Self-Directed category. Members can look up the robust list of approved CE activities and their proper search terms in the member portal.
Unable to add new insurance information to the form
An effective change during the last renewal was the requirement that any member whose insurance was set to expire on or before October 1 was required to provide an updated policy. This has worked effectively at ensuring members do not begin the registration cycle on the suspended register due to expired insurance. However, this year, there was confusion in the profile update form on how to enter the updated insurance information. These members were automatically prompted to provide new PLI details, and because of that, the ‘Add’ button on the page remained unavailable which caused confusion. The ‘Add’ button functions as the area to open the required fields for providing new details, not to save the information. The PLI information is saved by clicking ‘Save’ or ‘Next’ at the bottom of the page. We are currently looking at ways to ensure this is clearer during the 2024/2025 renewal.
Information not updating on the My Profile page
A common question we received over the course of the renewal period was that when personal information was updated, it was not reflected under the My Profile section. Once the renewal application is opened, the form on the My Profile page is locked so that information cannot be updated in two places and the renewal application stays the most recent and up to date version. When changes are made, it is saved in the system but it is not updated until the full application is submitted and paid.
Thank you to everyone that completed the renewal application. As always, we are here to help whenever possible. If you experienced any issues during renewal with the member portal or have any questions, please contact the College at info@abparamedics.com.
Wendy Dugas,
CEO