Celebrating Women's History Month with the History of NAMSS

The month of March is National Women’s History Month. In his article, Mr. Umbdenstock of the American Hospital Association (AHA) recognizes the pivotal role that women have historically played in the leadership and workforce of hospitals. Mr. Umbdenstock asks us to ponder the extraordinary contributions of women in a field that has benefited from their efforts longer and more profoundly then perhaps any other.

So, let’s take a minute and look back at the history of NAMSS. Years ago, in 1971, 22 women who were medical staff secretaries met in California, sharing the following common goals:

• To provide educational workshops;
• To foster standards of excellence nationwide, with the objectives of professional and personal development;
• To provide an information exchange;
• To provide a communication resource; and
• To provide career development

Six years later, on October 13, 1977, 31 people attended the first National Educational Conference presented by the California Association Medical Staff Services, which began the launch of the National Association Medical Staff Services.

Those 22 women could never have guessed how NAMSS and the medical staff services profession would grow and the impact it would have on the healthcare industry. Today we are truly medical staff services professionals. We are a community of men and women who continue to gain recognition for our valuable role in ensuring safe, patient care. NAMSS continues to provide education and resources to help us prepare for the growing responsibilities of our profession, just as the founding members of NAMSS envisioned. Furthermore, we are no longer just a resource to other MSPs, but a resource to the healthcare community and policy makers, providing them with a better understanding of the role of medical staff management and credentialing.

The 2011 Theme for Women’s History Month is “Our History Is Our Strength”. I could not have said it better.

To learn more about NAMSS' history, click here:
http://www.namss.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2bMCQeqP4PHQ%3d&tabid=154&mid=560

To learn more about Women’s History Month, click here: http://www.nwhp.org/