2023 – The Role of Practitioner Measurements in Guiding Performance
NAMSS hosted its ninth annual NAMSS Roundtable in September 2023 to continue stakeholder discussions about improving processes for measuring practitioner quality. NAMSS’ 2023 Roundtable, the Role of Practitioner Measurements in Guiding Performance, focused on how the processes organizations use to assess practitioner quality affect performance, culture, and patient outcomes. This topic stemmed from discussions during NAMSS’ 2022 Roundtable, Standardizing Quality: Best Practices for Measuring Practitioner Competency, which emphasized the critical role that organizations’ quality programs have in providing meaningful quality measurement.
Read more about the 2023 Roundtable discussion and its takeaways in NAMSS’ 2023 Roundtable Report.
Download the 2023 Roundtable Report
2022 – Standardizing Quality: Best Practices for Measuring Practitioner Competency
On September 8, 2022, the NAMSS hosted its eighth-annual NAMSS Roundtable, Standardizing Quality: Best Practices for Measuring Practitioner Competency. This topic extended from NAMSS’ 2021 Roundtable, Focused Revision: Moving to a Three-Year Practitioner Reappointment Cycle and Enhancing Continuous Monitoring, where participants cited inconsistent ongoing monitoring and quality assessment practices as a barrier to extending practitioner reappointment from two to three years.
The NAMSS 2022 Roundtable sought to identify systematic roadblocks, inconsistencies, and limitations that impede organizations from developing and executing best practices in practitioner assessment. Read more about the 2022 Roundtable discussion and its takeaways in NAMSS’ 2022 Roundtable Report.
Download the 2022 Roundtable Report
2021 – Focused Revision: Moving to a Three-Year Practitioner Reappointment Cycle and Enhancing Continuous Monitoring
On September 9, 2021, NAMSS convened credentialing stakeholders virtually to discuss considerations for revising the practitioner reappointment and continuous monitoring processes to create a more synergized and effective protocol for competency assessment. Held virtually for the first time, NAMSS’ seventh-annual Roundtable, Focused Revision: Moving to a Three-Year Practitioner Reappointment Cycle and Enhancing Continuous Monitoring, featured a panel discussion to provide the hospital administrative, physician, and accrediting body perspectives on quality and competency assessment processes.
The 2021 Roundtable participants discussed the need for competency-assessment processes to be nimble enough to align with the evolving healthcare landscape. Ahead of the Roundtable, NAMSS issued a position statement supporting systematic efforts to extend the practitioner reappointment cycle from two to three years and establish best practices for enhancing continuous monitoring processes.
Download the 2021 Roundtable Report
2019 – Credentialing for Tomorrow
NAMSS sixth-annual industry roundtable, “Credentialing for Tomorrow,” was held on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Washington, DC. This year’s discussion focused on practitioner credentialing’s evolution as technology becomes more applicable and more accessible to facilities. Technology offers solutions to inefficiencies within the practitioner credentialing process and discussions continue to focus on technology that is available, sustainable, and effective in reducing current systematic inefficiencies.
The 2019 Roundtable discussion heard perspectives of hospitals, practitioners, payers, accrediting bodies, and government oversight entities to discuss the need, feasibility, and process for digitizing credentialing and the importance, as well as the current challenges, limitations, and roadblocks to its adaptation.
Download the 2019 Roundtable Report
2018 – The Future of Digital Credentialing
NAMSS held its 5th annual industry roundtable, titled “The Future of Digital Credentialing” on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, DC. This year’s discussion focused on digital credentialing, or the wide range of new and emerging technologies that could be used to streamline the credentialing process and cut down on inefficiencies. Digital credentialing technologies present an exciting opportunity for the healthcare industry, but need to be addressed with a keen eye towards potential obstacles and pitfalls.
The 2018 roundtable marked the beginning of a new conversation around disruptive technology and its impact on credentialing. The discussion was thoughtful, engaging, and productive, and NAMSS will continue to work with the roundtable participants and industry stakeholders to create and implement process guidelines, governance, and best practices that will be needed as technology continues to develop.
Download the 2018 Roundtable Report
2017 – Building Blocks for the Future
NAMSS held its 4th annual industry roundtable, titled “Building Blocks for the Future” on Thursday, May 18 at The Westin in Alexandria, VA. This year’s discussion shifted the format of past roundtables to focus on blockchain technology, which was gaining traction as a potentially transformative technology that could have significant implications for credentialing. NAMSS presented an overview of blockchain and some potential applications for the credentialing process, and pledged to work in tandem with industry partners to monitor the development and evolution of blockchain technology in the healthcare space.
This year’s roundtable was a fascinating dive into a newly emergent, innovative technology that is making waves in the healthcare industry and beyond. Participants explored the pros and cons of adopting blockchain applications into the credentialing process and emphasized the importance of a well-maintained governance structure for any new credentialing application. NAMSS looks forward to continuing to working with industry partners towards a stronger, more efficient, and more streamlined credentialing process.
Download the 2017 Roundtable Report
2016 – Real Reform Through Positive Disruption
The National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) held its 3rd annual industry roundtable, titled “Real Reform through Positive Disruption” on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, MD. This year’s discussion focused on enacting meaningful, impactful change in the health care provider credentialing and licensure processes. To continue the facilitation of these important discussions, NAMSS will be establishing work groups of roundtable participants and other industry leaders for each of the four areas of discussion: the Verification of Graduate Medical Education Training Form, the Model Credentialing Application, the Recredentialing and Reappointment processes, and the Criminal Background Check process.
This year’s roundtable was a giant leap toward real reform through positive disruption, and it is only the beginning. Through the establishment of industry work groups and through continued partnerships with industry leaders, NAMSS looks forward to producing and executing change in the credentialing and licensure processes this year.
Download the 2016 Roundtable Report
2015 – NAMSS Payer Credentialing Roundtable Report
Following on the success of the 2014 roundtable discussion regarding facility credentialing, the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) convened a roundtable on May 7, 2015, of notable industry representatives to introduce and discuss the essential data elements for practitioner credentialing with payer organizations. At present, practitioner credentialing, while required within multiple areas of the healthcare industry, is time-consuming, inefficient, and depletes resources that would otherwise be available to deliver higher quality patient care.
NAMSS has identified and vetted the essential data elements to recognize where standardization would create a more efficient and effective process. NAMSS’ assessment includes a thorough review of the current credentialing system to identify efficiencies and deficiencies.
The Payer Credentialing Roundtable participants represented the following 13 entities: Aetna, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Health Net, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association’s Organized Medical Staff Section, the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the Medical Group Management Association, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Download 2015 Roundtable Report
2014 – NAMSS Ideal Credentialing Standards
On May 8, 2014, the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) convened a roundtable of notable industry representatives to introduce and discuss best practice standards for the initial credentialing of independent practitioner applicants in medical facilities. At present, practitioner credentialing, while required within multiple areas of the healthcare industry, is time-consuming, inefficient, and depletes resources that would otherwise be available to deliver higher quality patient care.
NAMSS has identified and vetted the essential data elements to recognize where standardization would create a more efficient and effective process. NAMSS’ assessment includes a thorough review of the current credentialing system to identify efficiencies and deficiencies.
Download 2014 Roundtable Report