The State of the Medical Services Professional was a study conducted by National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS). It's a well-written perspective on how far the Medical Services Professional (MSP) has evolved over the years and where it's headed. When I first entered the credentialing field in the very early 90's, it was by happenstance. I was working for the Vice President of Medical Affairs (VPMA) of a newly formed healthcare system, two neighboring hospitals. Unfortunately, the credentialing coordinator from one hospital had recently passed and the other hospital's position had been vacated. I'd never heard of credentialing before when the VPMA handed me a thin manila folder that held an application and a copy of a license. So my career began. I struggled at first, especially with the multi-form NPDB document that had to be typed on a Selectric typewriter and then mailed. But then I met a doctor who I had hired to speak at one of our CME conferences. He advised me to join NAMSS. Finally, I had a network where I could get answers and training.
Would that be enough today? It's still a start, a start where it seems the majority of MSP's begin each day. However, to manage the process will take more advanced training or experience as this profession has evolved from data entry, copying, and data collection to ranks in upper management overseeing performance evaluations, peer review processes, interacting or being a part of the C-suite, and more. If you would like to find out more about the MSP career and what an MSP has to offer your organization, take a few minutes and read NAMSS's latest report.
Article by Dilsa S. Bailey, CPMSM, a medical services professional for over 20 years. After working in hospitals and managed care organizations for many years, Dilsa is now a consultant and trainer. If you are interested in MSP training, visit her at TRCN-Training.