UPDATE: MSPs & the Standard Occupational Classification System

Please click here to access the comments submitted by NAMSS urging the inclusion of Medical Services Professionals (MSPs) in the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. As previously reported in this blog, MSPs were not included as a new detailed occupational classification.

As MSPs play a unique, distinct and integral role in health care - leading the credentialing, privileging, and onboarding of medical staff applicants and thus serving as the gatekeepers of patient safety – NAMSS will continue to work toward recognition of the MSP profession in the SOC system. Again, we will provide additional updates as they become available.

MSPs & the Standard Occupational Classification System

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released new updates to the 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system in July. Medical Service Professionals (MSPs) were not included as a new occupational category, despite NAMSS' submission of official comments in 2014 urging their inclusion. BLS is accepting additional public comments before finalization and NAMSS will be submitting remarks advocating for recognition of MSPs as a detailed occupational category.  

According to the BLS website, the SOC system "is used by Federal statistical agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data." Inclusion in this system increases recognition of a profession both in the public and private sectors, as well as allows for the generation of a wealth of information regarding the profession and those who practice it.

As MSPs play a unique, distinct and integral role in health care - leading the credentialing, privileging, and onboarding of medical staff applicants and thus serving as the gatekeepers of patient safety – NAMSS remains committed to working toward recognition of the MSP profession in the SOC system. We will provide further updates as they arise on this issue.

Celebrating 40 Years of NAMSS Conferences in Boston, September 17-21

As the NAMSS 40th Educational Conference & Exhibition quickly approaches, we are excited to highlight some new and fun features for attendees this year. To mark this important milestone, NAMSS is introducing a Memory Wall and a Where is NAMSS Wall where previous conferences will be remembered. These features will be interactive, allowing attendees to indicate which conferences they have attended, where they are from, and share in the memories of 40 successful events.

These are just some of the reasons to be excited about this year's conference in Boston. To learn more about all that this year's event and Bean Town have to offer through a short video and some helpful links, visit the NAMSS website by clicking here. 

Becker's Hospital Review: Improving Credentialing

Becker's Hospital Review interviewed Scott Friesen, CEO of Newport Credentialing Solutions, and Jacqueline Lam, Director of Medical Staff Services at Winthrop University Hospital (Mineola, NY), about ways of improving and streamlining the credentialing process. Here are the 5 suggestions they offered:

1. Utilize an enterprise-wide cloud-based technology platform
2. Ensure data is accurate and current
3. Understand the impact of delayed processing on revenue
4. Streamline operations surrounding enterprise-wide technology
5. Communication is key

For the full article and details on these 5 suggestions, please click here.