Medical Staff Services

Burnout among physicians is on the rise and, unfortunately, it shows no signs of slowing down. According to Medscape’s 2017 Physician Lifestyle Report, physician burnout has increased by 25 percent in just four years. In 2013, the overall rate was 40 percent; today, it has risen to 51 percent.

Does your hospital employ physicians? If so, there may be opportunities to streamline your processes across the silos of medical staff services and healthcare HR.

Members of the medical staff are the people who embody your healthcare organization’s mission and values. Whether employed or privileged, they must understand how those values are lived out in your organization to provide the best care possible.

Through the constantly changing healthcare landscape, the role of the Medical Services Professional (MSP) has evolved over time to meet the demands of the industry. I recently had the opportunity to participate in the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) webinar, “The MSP Career Pathway: How Do You Advance?” The presenter, Donna Goestenkors, President at Team Med Global Healthcare Consulting, discussed the value that MSPs bring to the workplace and how they can thrive in the industry’s new environment.

Medical staff services professionals are on the front line of patient safety, but their work often requires maneuvering a path full of inefficiencies and roadblocks.

National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week is a great time to take a look at what’s on the horizon for medical services professionals (MSPs) in the coming year.

Thanks to recent changes in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conditions of participation in Medicare, hospitals under a single governing board can now unify or merge their medical staffs. During a recent National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) webinar, Todd Sagin, President of Sagin Healthcare Consulting, discussed key considerations for healthcare systems seeking to combine their medical staffs.

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Boston, Massachusetts for the first time for the 40th National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) Educational Conference & Exhibition along with hundreds of medical services professionals (MSPs). Besides taking quick excursions to try some of Boston’s signature dishes such as lobster rolls and New England clam chowder, I also attended several educational sessions that made it clear MSPs must prepare for the ongoing changes the healthcare industry is experiencing.

Patient safety is the backbone of healthcare and the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) plays a critical role in protecting patients from unfit, excluded practitioners.  The NPDB serves its mission to promote quality healthcare and protect patient safety by operating as a reliable workforce tool for users engaged in credentialing, licensing and hiring decisions.

Medical services professionals are often seen as the “gateway” to healthcare organizations. They are key to ensuring the healthcare professionals hired and given privileges to serve organizations’ patients are fully qualified They also ensure the organization remains compliant with state and national regulations on qualifications and credentials. It’s an important role, and that won’t change as 2016 approaches, but some things will.

Here are four changes MSPs can expect to see in 2016 and beyond.