How do I join/subscribe to a community and the affiliated discussion group?

Click on “Communities” in the main navigation and click on “Communities I Can Join” to see a list of available communities. Click on the community that you wish to join and simply click “Join,” then choose a delivery option for posts (Real Time, Daily Digest or No Email).

How do I leave a community or unsubscribe from a discussion?

Go to your profile and click on the “My Account” tab. Choose “Community Notifications” from the drop-down menu. Here, you will see a list of available communities and those to which you have subscribed. Select “Leave Community” under the Actions column for the discussions you wish to leave.

How can I control the frequency and format of emails I receive?

Navigate to your profile and click on the “My Account" tab. Choose “Community Notifications” from the drop-down menu. On that page, you can view and control your subscription options. For each discussion, you have the following delivery options:

• Real Time: sends an email every time a new message is posted.
• Daily Digest: sends one email to you each day, consolidating all the posts from the previous day.
• No Email: allows you to be part of the group without having emails sent to you. You can still post and read others’ messages by logging into the community site.
• Consolidated Digest: Allows you to combine multiple communities into one notification email.

How do I find other members?

Click the “Directory” link found in the main navigation bar. The Directory lets you search for other users based on First and/or Last Name, Company/Institution Name, Email, City, or State.

How do I find resources that may have been uploaded by other members?

If you know which library the resource may be in, find the affiliated community via the My Communities page. Click through the community's landing page, then click on the “Library” tab. If you do not know where the resource is, enter search terms in the main search box the same way you might enter search terms into Google or another search engine.

Can I search for posts across all the communities?

Yes, please enter a keyword in the search bar located in the main navigation. To refine your search results, select one or more facets from the menu on the left side.

How do tags work in the community?

Tags (also known as #hashtags) are behind-the-scenes organizers, helping to categorize your site's content and make it easier to find important discussions. For example, if fifteen users tag their content with #2023AnnualMeeting, all fifteen pieces of content can be viewed simply by clicking the tag.
 
Creating a tag is simple when posting content on the AHLA communities:

1. In the body of content (e.g., blog article, discussion post, library entry, etc.), type “#” to initiate the tagging process, and then start typing the desired keyword(s). As you type, a list of existing tags will appear (if any exist). If tags are automatically generated, AHLA or another user has created these tags as formal tags for the AHLA communities.
2. Select a suggested tag or continue typing to create your own. NOTE: Do not use spaces when typing, as this will prevent hashtag creation. If adding your own tag, press ENTER after spelling it out to create it.
3. After selecting or creating your own tag, it will become a hyperlink users can click to view all content associated with it. As more content is tagged with the same tag(s), it will become easier to find, with more associated content. 

How can I search for tagged content?

There are two ways to view content associated with a tag. (1) Use the search bar – if you know the tag name, enter it into the search bar to view its associated content OR (2) Click on the tag itself to browse its associated content. Clicking a tag displays its associated content in the search results.

How do I mention/tag a member in the communities?

An @mention is an effective way to call attention to another user, while also providing a link to that user's profile. The @mention feature can be used in Announcements, Blogs, Comments, Discussion Posts, Events, Glossary Terms, Library Entries, or Volunteer Opportunities.
 
Initiate a member mention by typing “@” and then start typing the user's name. As you type, a list of suggested users will appear. Select the desired user from the list of suggestions and the @mention will become a hyperlink to the selected user's profile. When [LL1] a user is @mentioned, they will receive an email notification letting them know (if they can access the associated content). Please note that users who have opted out of the Directory will not appear in the suggestions to respect a member’s profile privacy setting.

How do I remove the @mention link from my profile?

An @mentioned user can remove the @mention link from their profile by hovering their cursor over the @mention and clicking Remove Reference in the pop-up.

How do I follow a topic or practice area?

You can manually Follow Discussion posts, Library Entries, and Idea Submissions. Doing so enables real-time participation emails for these features so that you will be notified when other community members engage with it.

See Real-time Participation Emails to learn more.

How do I follow content?

When viewing a piece of content, click the Follow toggle on the right side of the page. If you have disabled Participation Emails from your profile (on the My Account > Email Preferences page), the Follow toggle will not display on content pages.
 
The toggle is updated after you follow a piece of content. Click the toggle again to unfollow the content and stop receiving real-time participation emails about it.
 
By default, you automatically follow all content to which you contribute. To view the content you are following, just navigate to My Connections > Following. For each entry of followed content, you can click links to view its content page, view the content contributor's profile, access the content landing page where the content item is located, and/or review the date and time you followed the content item.

How do I filter my Followed Content?

By default, all the content you are following will display on your Followed Content page. You can choose to display only some types of content by selecting it from the dropdown menu.

How do I control what information is visible in My Profile?

Navigate to your profile page and select “My Account.” Choose “Privacy Settings from the drop-down menu to control what information you would like to make visible to whom. Make sure to click the “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the page to save your changes.

How do I add contacts to my contact list?

There are several ways you can add contacts. When performing a search in the Directory, you will see an “Add as Contact” button to the right of every person in your search. Click this button to send a contact request. You can also add a person by navigating to a person’s personal profile and click the contact request link on the right of their profile picture.

What are communities?

AHLA Communities allow you to participate in discussions and share resources with other members. There are multiple communities that have been curated for you based on your personal preferences, practice group, and interests. We invite you to join as many of these communities as possible so you can get the resources you need to thrive in the health law landscape.

How do I start a new discussion thread?

Navigate to “Create” > “Discussion Thread” then select the community you want your message to go to, choose “Open-ended Discussion.” Then add the discussion subject, tag appropriate members or groups, add images/videos, and any other attachments.
 
NOTE: Make sure to click on “Post” to post your thread immediately, “Schedule” to pick a day/time you want your message to reach your indicated community, or “Save as Draft” if you want more time to craft your message.

Can a member post anonymously?

Posting anonymously is allowed in various situations where individuals may have valid reasons for wanting to conceal their identity while still participating in online discussions. When a new discussion thread is created, the individual can request that their name not appear in the post. The request is entered into a moderation queue; AHLA staff reviews the post and approves or rejects the post.

How do I upload a file/resource to the Library?

Go to the “Share a File” link found under “Participate” in the main navigation, or “Create New Library Entry” on any community landing page. The system supports most file types including hyperlinks, standard files (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint), webinars, images, and YouTube videos.
 
NOTE: Uploading a document requires completing the following steps in chronological order:

• Choose a title for your document and include a description (optional).
• Select the library to which you would like to upload your document and select the folder you would like to upload your resource to(optional).
• Choose an Entry Type (most will be Standard Files but be cognizant of any copyright licensed material).
• Click “Next.”
• Upload your file.
• Select “Next” if you want to further describe your files and/or add tags to your file. Otherwise, click “Finish” to post your library entry.