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Scholarship Winners on What They Learned at #NAMSS24

By Teddy Durgin

The NAMSS 48th Educational Conference & Exhibition this past fall in Denver was an unqualified success. And while a lot of that has to do with the programming and diverse lineup of accomplished speakers and panelists, it’s always the enthusiasm and participation of the association’s members and conference attendees that make an event of this nature so worthwhile.

This year, one of the things that got more attendees in the door was the NAMSS Annual Conference Scholarship. Each scholarship provides financial assistance to an active member of NAMSS who is currently employed in the medical services profession or holds the NAMSS CPCS® or CPMSM® and is seeking employment in the same field. The scholarship can be used to cover the cost of registration fees, accommodations, travel, and per diem.

We spoke with several of this year’s scholarship winners to gauge what they were able to learn and how the four-day conference benefited them. Among the first to reply was Ashlee Cockayne, CPMSM, CPCS, consultant, medical staff services, at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

“I have so many takeaways from the entire conference, it’s hard to express them individually,” she says. “I got great input and ideas around tasks my team is undertaking, like our peer reference process, onboarding, etc. The sessions around delegation were helpful, even though we already have numerous delegated agreements. My personal favorites were the sessions led by lawyers. Those always motivate me to make the changes the team has been discussing and give concrete direction for those changes. This scholarship allowed me to not only attend the educational sessions, but I was able to network with so many colleagues from around the country. This, to me, is the most invaluable part of these conferences.”

Networking was also a major benefit for Jennifer Medford, CPCS, who is a credentialing coordinator for Wallowa Memorial Hospital with rural health clinics in Northeast Oregon. She notes, “As the sole credentialing staff member at my facility, I have limited opportunities to connect with fellow credentialing professionals. Therefore, it was truly rewarding to engage with like-minded individuals as I believe few outside this field fully understand the scope and complexity of this role.”

She adds, “One of the most impactful takeaways from this experience was the boost in confidence it gave me. It reaffirmed my passion for this profession and, by interacting with so many exceptional individuals and speakers, I gained a renewed sense of inspiration that I had not anticipated.”

Also enjoying the camaraderie was Megan K. Byers, a medical staff coordinator II and I credentialing doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants for the Alaska Tribal Health System. She states, “My time in Denver allowed me to network with other coordinators in different types of healthcare organizations. I am newer in my field, so I have not met a lot of people outside of my office who are in the field. This was a great experience because it showed me I am not alone in some of the things I struggle with and there are a lot of people who deal with similar issues. It was nice to realize that some of the issues I thought were because of my lack of experience are actually issues in the entire field.”

Jennifer Jackson, CPCS, CPMSM, medical staff services manager for the Alameda Health System in Northern California, says the scholarship “enabled me to attend the conference, in person, as this was not financially supported by my employer. In addition to networking and earning educational credits to support my dual NAMSS certifications (CPMSM and CPCS), I was able to enhance my knowledge and experience in the areas of provider enrollment, delegated credentialing, and NCQA accreditation requirements.” 

Stephanie Nisbett, regional director, medical staff services and credentialing operations for Surgery Ventures, adds, “I truly enjoyed the opportunity to network with colleagues and especially took to heart the keynote speaker who said to continue growing; to always be trying new things; and to identify your pit crew who will help you through new experiences, trials, and tribulations.”

Some enjoyed specific events within the larger four-day conference and took away valuable insights as a result. One such individual was Julie A. Metzger, CPCS, medical staff services coordinator for Mercy Health Willard and Tiffin Hospital in Ohio. She says, “While all the sessions were excellent, the Joint Commission update and the dangerous physicians were excellent! So much information and, with this job, things are always changing and learning is always happening.

Another scholarship winner was Kamie Etzler, CPCS, who works as a final quality specialist III for Medical Provider Resources in Wichita, Kansas. She was more general in her praise and remembrances, stating, “I’ve been working for a CVO for 12 years and have always wanted to attend. Thanks to the scholarship, I could attend this year, and it was awesome! The benefit of attending the NAMSS conference in person was to experience firsthand all the sessions, networking with other MSPs, and see what’s new in the world of credentialing.”

Expressing similar sentiments was Krista Starr, medical staff office and credentialing manager at the Pagosa Springs Medical Center in Colorado: “There were so many great educational topics, it was hard to choose which one to attend sometimes. Each session covered points that helped reinforce my current processes, offered suggestions for improving my current processes, and taught me some new skills to help keep my department on top of all the changes and challenges.”

More than two months later, Michaela King, CPCS, credentialing and compliance director at PMG Credentialing, is still amazed at how much she learned from the various sessions. “A big takeaway for me was the payer delegation process, as that was an area I wasn’t familiar with,” she says. “The speakers were incredibly knowledgeable and I’m excited to utilize the information they shared as my company continues to grow. As someone in a leadership role, my team is always my No. 1 priority. So, the sessions that were geared toward departmental managements were also extremely helpful to me, as I’m always looking for ways to encourage my employees to grow and to make my department better overall.”

So, the question was then posed to many of our interviewees: “What advice do you have for scholarship winners attending next year’s conference in Portland, Oregon?” Their answers were as varied as the interviewees themselves.

Some gave simple tips that range from the practical (Medford’s “Wear comfortable shoes!”) to the technical (Starr’s “Download the app ahead of time. It helps keep you organized throughout and after the conference.”) to the efficient (Metzger’s “Take notes and download your slides from the sessions”).

Byers urges, “I highly recommend attending a few of the classes where you get to just sit and discuss the field with others. It was a great experience to speak with so many different people and hear their experiences. I also recommend doing some of the extra meet-ups during the break times. I had a great conversation with one of the board members who was interested in GME, which I have a lot of experience with.”

Most, though, just recommended “being social.” Among them was Etzler (“Push yourself out of your comfort zone and talk to other conference attendees.”) and Nesbitt (“Take in the whole conference and join as many educational offerings and activities as possible.”).

King concluded, “My advice would be don’t be shy! The MSP industry is so welcoming, and it’s a space where we all truly want to share our knowledge and help each other however we can. It’s a great opportunity to learn from people in many different areas across our field. I have made wonderful connections with people I would not have met had I not attended and put myself out there. Even if you are traveling alone, don’t let it hold you back from wanting to attend. I promise you will not only learn a lot, but also have the chance to meet amazing people.”