The Australian Health Services Financial Management Association grew from discussions held at a Health Conference held in Cobram, Victoria during May, 1991.

Membership of the Association is open to all persons with an interest in health services financial management.

Since inception, the membership has grown to in excess of two hundred members and comprises persons from various sections of the health industry with the majority being financial staff of both the public and private health industry.

The Association is administered by a management committee elected each year at the Annual Conference.

The Tradition & Legend of Room 17

At the Victorian Health Services first Finance Conference - held at Cobram in May 1991, the organiser of the conference, Keith Joyce, the then Finance Director at Frankston Hospital - invited a few delegates back to his room for a few "after dinner" drinks.

Ahsfma conferences were held between 1992 and 1999 at either The Cobram Golf Club or the Rich River Golf Club in Moama.

The batten was handed down from Keith to each subsequent conference organiser to reside in Room 17. Somewhere during this time the record was made and still stands at around 90 delegates participating.

The year 2000 saw a change in venue - The Pinnacle Valley Resort, near Mansfield, but the tradition continued - Condaminium Room 17 was the venue.

In 2001 - Ahsfma relocated its annual conference to the Cumberland down at Lorne, Victoria. Room allocations are now a bit different but the flavour of Room 17 lives on.