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NAMSS: Celebrating 30 years of professionalism and partnerships

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, September 8, 2006

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Soon MSPs from all over the United States (and even a few from beyond) will head to Atlanta to attend the 30^th annual conference of the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS).

Having been in this profession for many years-and as a past president of NAMSS-I would like to take the time to reflect on the changes that have occurred in credentialing and privileging over the past 30 years. We are constantly bombarded with messages about what we need to do and have not yet accomplished. Let's turn the tables and take this opportunity to celebrate how far credentialing and privileging has progressed during the past three decades! Consider that:

• Most healthcare organizations now have credentialing software that assists them in automating the credentialing process. Thirty years ago, credentialing "technology" consisted of rolodex files and other manual checklists (even sticky notes didn't exist back then).
• Privileging criteria has dramatically changed. It was unusual to see much, if any, criteria for privileges 30 years ago. Today it is customary to have criteria embedded throughout the privileging process, including criteria for applying to a particular specialty and for requesting specific clinical privileges. This is all done in an effort to improve the credentialing and privileging processes and to ensure practitioners' current clinical competency.
• Today's credentials committees are more likely to consist of capable members who are more well-versed in the credentialing and privileging processes than those in the past. Thirty years ago, there just wasn't much education available on these issues.
• Endless laundry lists of privileges may still exist, but medical staff organizations nationwide have either transitioned to a core privileges approach or are planning to do so in the near future.
• A few brave organizations have implemented a paperless credentialing process (and in the next few years many more are expected to do so). Thirty years ago, most of us would have said that a paperless process is impossible-and even if it were possible, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations would never allow it.
• Thirty years ago it took a couple of weeks or longer to verify a practitioner's license, because it could only be done via snail mail. Now we have instantaneous access to pertinent information via the Web.
• The rationale for performing credentialing-protecting the patient-is understood by most credentials committee and medical executive committee members, a concept that was not widely embraced 30 years ago.
• The number of organizations performing background checks on their medical staffs is steadily increasing. I think that suggesting this practice 30 years ago might have been a career-limiting move!
• Even though we know that it isn't perfect, the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) provides us with information that might otherwise be difficult to obtain.  We didn't have the NPDB 30 years ago.
• And 30 years ago, there weren't any MSPs certified as CPMSMs or CPCSs.

These are just highlights of the changes in credentialing and privileging over the years. Practitioners and MSPs who plan to continue to be involved in credentialing and privileging in the future can be sure that there are many more changes to come. Let's all make sure that progress in this field improves what we do and how we do it, because credentialing has no other master than the patient.

That's all for this week.  Sally Pelletier will be back next week.  Thanks for letting me add my thoughts to this issue.

Vicki L. Searcy, CPMSM

Practice Director, Credentialing & Privileging

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