Download our Clinical Privilege White Paper for guidance on vetting and privileging dermatologists.

Nurses have set a historical precedent of stepping in wherever they are needed. It has been argued that nurses do not practice to the full extent of their education thanks to certain regulations. Were nurses to utilize the entirety of their practice and abilities, then the pseudo-boundaries that exist between NPs and physicians would be removed.

Experts agree that locum tenens should not have their own medical staff category. “Membership on the medical staff typically denotes an association with a special prerogative, such as the right to vote or hold office,” says Sally Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, advisory consultant and chief credentialing officer for The Greeley Company in Danvers, Massachusetts. “Locums are filling a very specific clinical need and should be granted privileges, but not appointment to the medical staff.”

As hospitals diversify their medical staffs and contend with mounting regulatory efforts to ally payment and performance, interdisciplinary collaboration has emerged as a major driver of financial health, medical staff stability, and care quality. By extension, collaboration is also the lifeblood of a successful orientation process. In working together, established clinical and operational staff can provide new practitioners with a well-balanced view of an organization’s mission, a clear understanding of their role within it, and immediate immersion in a supportive environment. With their singular vantage point on daily medical staff operations, MSPs play a central part in developing an effective orientation program that reflects a culture of collaboration.

As a medical staff leader, it is important to understand that the days of a medical staff secretary in a medical staff office are history. It is true that in years past, the work was primarily clerical and secretarial. However, as healthcare has evolved and grown in complexity, so has the work of the organized medical staff. Now, the staff requires a true medical staff services department (MSSD) staffed by subject matter experts referred to as MSPs. This month, we will examine both the competencies necessary for MSPs as well as the competencies required of medical staff leaders.

It's not too late to take advantage of our early bird pricing for the 2019 CRC Symposium in Las Vegas! This year's symposium delivers 2.5 days of engaging education and training to MSPs, medical staff leaders, and quality directors in credentialing environments spanning the care continuum. Top industry experts impart fresh insight and actionable strategies for developing and sustaining effective credentialing, privileging, competence assessment, and medical staff governance processes amid constant changes to healthcare service delivery and reimbursement. Click here to save $100 with special early bird pricing through January 11, 2019!

Sponsorship with the Credentialing Resource Center (CRC) Symposium offers targeted access to MSPs and medical staff leaders. Download the 2019 CRC Symposium prospectus to exploreopportunities to engage with a live, active audience. Questions? Contact Amy Roadman at aroadman@healthleadersmedia.com.