Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital

The Medical Staff Professional
Ask Me What It is I Do Here At the Hospital

Across the Nation In healthcare organizations You Will Find Skilled and Experienced Professionals

We are medical staff services professionals.

Some people think the only thing we do is credential the practitioners who provide healthcare services. Yes, we do that; we assure that these individuals are who they say they are and are trained to provide those services for which they are privileged. And, yes, we do take minutes for meetings, but we do much more. We have a range of responsibilities and skills that go mostly unnoticed.

The Medical Staff Professional

The medical staff professional is charged with the responsibility of assisting the medical staff organization in complying with regulatory requirements. The interpretation of standards and implementation of change are key areas of responsibility as the medical staff professional serves as the liaison between the healthcare organization, the medical staff organization, and the governing body. The possession of knowledge and skills required to efficiently manage the medical staff office and coordination of medical staff activities is also expected of this professional.

In addition to being an expert in credentialing, assisting the medical staff in determining and assuring the healthcare organization that only competent applicants are recommended for medical staff membership, the medical staff professional is an invaluable resource to the staff and administration in understanding and applying the standards that the medical staff must meet.

We credential the practitioners who provide healthcare services here in our hospital.

The Medical Staff Services Professional at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital is Heidi Thompson, CMSC, CPCS

Heidi earned her CMSC certification in November 2002 and her CPCS certification in June 2003.

Heidi has been at the hospital since September 1996 and has advanced from Medical Staff specialist, to Medical Staff Coordinator to her most recent title change, Medical Staff Services Director.

Heidi is responsible for the credentialing and privileging of over 100 practitioners in accordance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)/Medicare Conditions of Participation, and Medical Staff Bylaws requirements. Heidi attends all medical staff meetings, prepares agendas, takes minutes and coordinates follow-up. Heidi also acts as a liaison between hospital administration and the medical staff. Heidi also has a myriad of other responsibilities.

Medical Staff Services Awareness Week
November 3 – 7, 2003

Professional Opportunities

Certification as either a CMSC or CPCS is a recognized standard of excellence in the medical staff professional field. The annual NAMSS certification examinations are available for those who have met NAMSS eligibility requirements.

Eligibility requirements for CMSC are:

Employment in the med staff services profession for 7 years or
Employment for 5 years and completion of all NAMSS Independent Study Modules or
Employment for 3 years and 60 college credit hours in the profession.

Eligibility requirements for CPCS are:

Employment in the med staff services field for 4 years.
CMSC in good standing.
Employment for 3 years and completion of NAMSS Independent Study Modules 4, 5, 6.
Employment for 2 years, Associate degree or 15 college credits and NAMSS Independent Study Modules 4, 5, & 6.

CPCS certification covers:
Principles of Credentialing/Recredentialing
Accreditation Standards and Surveys
Legal Principles of Credentialing
Health Care Definitions
Management of Information

CMSC certification covers:
Principles of Hospital/Managed Care Organization
Accreditation Knowledge
Health Care Law
Medical Terminology
Administration and Management

National Association Medical Staff Services
PO Box 140647, Austin, TX 78714-0647
PH: (512)454-7928 – Fax: (512)454-3036
E-mail: namss@namss.org

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