Monday, October 5

Tuesday, October 6

Wednesday, October 7

Monday, October 5

Opening Session: Keynote Speaker and Introduction of 2009 Board of Directors
Session Code: MN01
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Keynote Speaker: Dan Clark

Physician Supervision of Allied Health Professionals: Current Issues and Challenges
Session Code: MN02
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Catherine Ballard, JD and Allen Killworth, JD

Common issues and challenges continue to arise from the dichotomy of the independent nature of allied health professionals and their continued dependence on supervising physicians. This session examines the role of hospitals regarding these issues, focusing on how these supervision issues affect credentialing and management of allied health professionals.

Healthcare Transparency: Reporting Healthcare Performance and Value
Session Code: MN03
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Barbara Schwartz

This session includes an overview of the growth of healthcare transparency; a snapshot of current transparency initiatives on both the federal and state level, and a discussion of who is using the information; IPRO’s role in transparency initiatives, including the activities of the New York State Health Accountability Foundation, a not-for-profi t entity that promotes transparency, co-founded by IPRO more than 10 years ago; and quality initiatives that are tied to transparency, focusing on the work of the federally-funded Medicare Quality Improvement Organizations.

Electronic Data Management: Paperless Credentialing Is Not Just Scanning Anymore
Session Code: MN04
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Myra L. Ameigh

Paperless credentialing has gone beyond scanning and Web-based verifications. Managing provider data and credentialing electronically is accomplished easily by leveraging new technology, industry database sources, effective workflow, and having the proper tools to manage your provider data. This presentation covers the technology and resources available for electronic data management including Web-based tools, import utilities, interfacing with clinical and payment systems, industry data sources, paper-free workflows, and the basics of intake, imaging, and serving-up information to the community.

Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE) and Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE): Whose Job Is It? (1st offering)
Session Code: MN05
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Sheryl Deutsch, CPCS and Christine Mobley, CPMSM, CPCS

It has been six years (NAMSS 2003) since Coar Cedina and Twila Nol, Directors of PI and Medical Staff Services at Goodness Memorial Hospital first addressed the issue of accountability for medical staff quality activities. They have had some challenges and struggles implementing the OPPE and FPPE standards. Join Cora and Twilia as they return to discuss the Joint Commission standards for Ongoing and Focused Professional Practice Evaluation and share lessons learned.

Developing the CCN Examinations: Demystifying Certification
Session Code: MN06
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Stephen Johnson and Kathleen Metry, CPMSM, CPCS

The NAMSS certification examinations are developed to cover areas where lack of knowledge would result in the inability to perform the job, and do so in a consistent manner. This session provides an overview of the many different steps required to build these examinations.

NEW! Regional Seated Lunch (optional)
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.0

Meet local members, discuss issues specific to your region, and find out more about your state association at the regional seated lunch. Additional fee applies. Ticket required.

Understanding and Implementing The Joint Commission Credentialing and Privileging Standards
Session Code: MN07
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.0
Presented by: Larry Kachik, MD

Listen to a discussion of medical staff credentialing and privileging standards that are commonly scored as insufficient or partial compliance, in addition to great practices observed during surveys.

How We Get to a Fair Hearing
Session Code: MN08
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.0
Presented by: Catherine Ballard, JD and Allen Killworth, JD

Engage in five entertaining scenarios, each concerning a quality/behavior problem with a physician. Following each scenario, attendees will participate in a discussion on how the matter should have been (or was) handled and documented. The final scenario will be a recommendation to terminate appointment/ privileges and establish the importance of handling the prior situations correctly.

Guess Who’s Coming to Practice Medicine? Credentialing Foreign-Trained Physicians
Session Code: MN09
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.0
Presented by: Michael Lee Kim, Esq., JD

This session addresses and identifies the issues and concerns that typically arise when credentialing foreign-trained physicians, focusing on employment authorization, legal obligations to confirm valid immigration status, and strategic considerations to weigh in light of recent immigration and customs enforcement actions.

The Stark Law’s Impact on Hospital-Physician Relations
Session Code: MN10
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.0
Presented by: Jeremy Miller, Esq.

The Stark law is having a greater impact than ever on hospital-physician relationships. Recent changes regarding the “stand-in-the-shoes” rule, “per-click” leases, percentage-based compensation, and the provision of “under arrangements” services by physician-owned ventures will dramatically affect the viability of many previously compliant arrangements. This session provides practical guidance on how to comply with the Stark law.

NCQA, URAC, AAAHC Regulations: How Do They Affect CVOs and MCOs?
Session Code: MN11
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.0
Presented by: Kathy Hoole, RN, BS, CPHQ

This presentation provides an overview of NCQA, URAC, AAAHC, and The Joint Commission ambulatory credentialing requirements and each organization’s approach to the credentialing process. It also covers the impact that each of these credentialing approaches has on the day-to-day operations of an MCO or CVO.

Patient Safety Organizations: The Impact on Hospitals and Medical Services Professionals
Session Code: MN12
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Michael Callahan, JD

For the first time, Congress has passed legislation which will treat information relating to medical errors, adverse patient results, and peer-review activities as privileged and confidential at both state and federal levels if collected and reported through a Patient Safety Evaluation System to a Patient Safety Organization (PSO). This session explains the goals of a PSO, what steps a hospital must take when deciding to participate in a PSO or start their own, and the advantages and disadvantages of a PSO, including peer-review materials into the PSO process.

Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE) and Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE): Whose Job Is It? (1st offering)
Session Code: MN13
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Sheryl Deutsch, CPCS and Christine Mobley, CPMSM, CPCS

It has been six years (NAMSS 2003) since Coar Cedina and Twila Nol, Directors of PI and Medical Staff Services at Goodness Memorial Hospital first addressed the issue of accountability for medical staff quality activities. They have had some challenges and struggles implementing the OPPE and FPPE standards. Join Cora and Twilia as they return to discuss the Joint Commission standards for Ongoing and Focused Professional Practice Evaluation and share lessons learned.

How to Make Your CVO More Valuable to Your Organization
Session Code: MN14
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Tammy White, CPCS

While CVOs are known primarily for saving healthcare organizations time and expense in processing credentialing files, CVOs may offer an array of additional services that many healthcare organizations are unaware of. These additional services, which may be offered by the CVO, allow the healthcare organization to off-set routine duties specific to medical staff functions thereby allowing the medical services professionals more time to focus on higher level, quality functions.

Lead With Your Strengths and Engage Your Team
Session Code: MN15
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Marti Benjamin, MBA

The vital role of the leader is to inspire and guide others to become engaged in reaching common goals. To succeed, you must know your own talents and limitations. Great leaders know their unique strengths and like the surgeon selecting the right instrument for each procedure, choose the right strength for the situation. Research shows that people who have the opportunity to use their strengths at work enjoy higher job satisfaction and fewer health problems.

Is Quality Really Your Concern as a CVO?
Session Code: MN16
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Yolanda Reed, CPCS

As healthcare continues to focus more on quality, the roles of MSOs and CVOs are evolving. In the past, many MSOs and CVOs were not responsible for quality data gathering, but as roles shift, many are now being asked to gather and compile quality data for the provider profile. In addition, there is greater emphasis on continuous quality of the processes within a CVO. This session discusses ways in which a CVO can expand its services to include quality data gathering as well as ways to improve the quality of the services a CVO performs as specified by NCQA certification.

Tuesday, October 6

Roundtable Networking Hot Breakfast (limited space available)
Time: 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5

Participate in an informal networking breakfast. Join in roundtable discussions by areas of interest, including CVO, hospital, or managed care setting. Hot breakfast provided. Additional fee applies. Ticket required.

The Joint Commission 2009 Medical Staff Standards Update (1st offering)
Session Code: TU01
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: John Herringer, RN, MS

This session focuses on the transition from statutory Medicare deemed status to application-based Medicare deemed status, changes to the elements of performance to accommodate the transition from statutory deemed status to application-based deemed status, and 2009 scoring changes.

Using Best Practices to Set Up a CVO
Session Code: TU02
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Vicki Searcy, CPMSM

This session is focused on those steps necessary to establish a commercial or “internal” (health system/physician group) CVO. Topics include the considerations related to establishing the scope of services of the CVO, projecting costs to run the CVO depending upon the operating model selected, initial start-up costs, and preparation of a three-year budget. In addition, the presenter will review documents needed to set up a CVO, including operating policies and procedures, considerations related to NCQA requirements (for those CVOs that seek NCQA-CVO certification), contracts/agreements with CVO customers, and more.

TJC, DNV, and HFAP: A Panel Discussion Among the Three Hospital Accreditation Agencies
Session Code: TU03
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Rebecca Wise, MHA, George Reuther, and Charles Mowll, FACHE

The NAMSS Industry & Government Relations Committee is hosting a panel discussion featuring representatives from DNV, HFAP, and TJC. Attendees will learn about the unique qualities of each hospital accreditation organization and their different approaches toward the same goal of achieving quality healthcare.

Disruptive Behavior and the Medical Staff Codes of Conduct
Session Code: TU04
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: James A. DeNuccio, MBA, FACHE

This session arms medical staff professionals with the knowledge and background to assist the organized medical staff with developing their code of conduct and bylaws revisions. Specifically, the session reviews The Joint Commission Leadership Standard effective January 1, 2009 and their Sentinel Event Alert entitled, “Behaviors that undermine a culture of safety,” issued in July 2008.

Professional Development: Fear of Public Speaking? Get Over It!
Session Code: TU05
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Tina Brodrick, MBA

In this engaging session on public speaking, you will learn how to identify the audience, understanding the purpose of the speech, and hear methods for delivering a quality speech. Topics include: developing a thesis; using emphasis for specific results or actions; speech-planning process; providing reliable data to build credibility; using the best tone and language; and how to capture the audience’s attention, deliver the speech, and present a focused, memorable message.

The Joint Commission 2009 Medical Staff Standards Update (2nd offering)
Session Code: TU06
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: John Herringer, RN, MS

This session will focus on the transition from statutory Medicare deemed status to application-based Medicare deemed status, changes to the elements of performance to accommodate the transition from statutory deemed status to application-based deemed status, and 2009 scoring changes.

The Joint Commission Conflict Management Standard: The MSP’s Role and the Importance of Working with HR to Ensure Compliance
Session Code: TU07
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Kate Conklin, CPCS, CPMSM, and Jeff Payne, SPHR

The Joint Commission Leadership Standard LD.02.04.01 states that “the hospital manages conflict between leadership groups to protect the quality and safety of care.” Jeff Payne and Kate Conklin will discuss this standard in detail, and identify ways MSPs and hospital HR departments can and should work together to foster a culture of collaboration, communication, and essential practices that contribute to a higher quality of patient care.

Credentialing and Peer Review: Challenges Created by Employed and Contracted Physicians
Session Code: TU08
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Hugh Greeley

Physicians who are employed or contracted by the hospital continue to swell the ranks of hospital medical staffs. This trend creates myriad new challenges for those involved in traditional medical staff credentialing and peer review activities. This session discusses the importance of aligning contract language with existing credentialing and corrective action policies; whether to address practitioner concerns through medical staff or human resources pathways; the challenges to peer review confidentiality in employment lawsuits brought by physicians; the conundrum of conflicts between the “bylaws contract” and the employment contract; the role of the MSP when employed physician concerns arise; and many related issues.

New Trends in Board Certification at the ABMS
Session Code: TU09
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Richard Hawkins, MD

The importance of board certification is becoming increasingly more complex and controversial. This session describes the current status of board certification through the ABMS and discusses future ramifications of maintenance of certification by mandating that physicians continually maintain competency in the six core competencies.

Write, Right, Wrote with Extreme Passion for Maximum Understanding
Session Code: TU10
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Tina Brodrick, MBA

This engaging business writing session helps you better understanding the purpose of your writing. Discussion will touch upon the different types of writing styles, developing a thesis, how to write for specific results, the writing process, researching facts, figures and data, tone and language, and writing with sharpness and clarity.

Business Luncheon and Keynote Address (advanced registration required)
Session Code: TU11
Time: 12:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.0
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Steve Bedwell

Includes Awards Presentation and NAMSS Board Installation. Ticket required. Included in the three-day registration fees.

Professional Development: Stepping Into Your Own Brilliance
Session Code: TU12
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Katherine Prendergast, PCC, CCMC

Join this fun, fast-paced, interactive session to enjoy identifying what makes you unique in today’s work world. Identify five of your natural talents. Then, learn how to develop these talents into valuable career strengths and how to leverage these strengths to maximize job security and your own job satisfaction. Come ready to relax, laugh, and learn about yourself and the unique value you bring to others each and every day.

Criteria-Based Privileges: Why, What, and How?
Session Code: TU13
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Vicki Searcy, CPMSM

MSPs understand that development and implementation of criteria-based privileges is not optional. The challenge is establishing criteria that can be implemented. This session focuses on how to develop credible criteria-based privileges that meet regulatory requirements as well as providing healthcare organizations with an effective tool for managing practitioner competence. This session discusses how to develop criteria for delineated privileges, where to acquire criteria, and how to obtain physician consensus, as well as developing workable approaches to implementing criteria. The session also examines the development of criteria for new technology.

Delegated Audits: Let’s All Play Nice
Session Code: TU14
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: David Selig, PT, MHA

This session is geared towards provider and other organizations interested in understanding the requirements, challenges, and costs associated with obtaining and performing delegated credentialing from third-party payers and managed care organizations.

New Trends in Healthcare
Session Code: TU15
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Kevin B. Weiss, MD

Changing Your Credentialing World: Achieving a Successful Paperless Credentialing Environment
Session Code: TU16
Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Deborah Luck, CPCS

Participants will learn the different components of the process that takes them from a paper credentialing environment to one that is paperless using the latest image technology and process improvements. This session focuses on beginning to advanced stages of this process and includes important components that incorporate NCQA and The Joint Commission standards. It also includes important change management components with key tips to make the transition a painless one that all staff will embrace.

New Certificants’ Celebration
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

If you were certified in October/November 2008, March/April 2009, or June/July 2009, join us for this special session to celebrate your achievement. Meet members of the Certification Commission of NAMSS (CCN) to find out how the exams are developed and learn about future volunteer opportunities. This interactive session provides you with an opportunity to network and ask questions.

Wednesday, October 7

Lean Six Sigma for Healthcare: A Structured Problem-Solving Approach
Session Code: WE01
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Edward Boudreau, DO

Performance improvement in healthcare is no longer a choice; changes in insurance reimbursements, rising costs, shrinking budgets, and the shortage of talented staff are forcing hospitals to adapt a structured approach to problem-solving. Where healthcare organizations struggle to maintain high levels of patient satisfaction, Lean Six Sigma can help. Many healthcare organizations find that Six Sigma and Lean are effective tools to manage these issues and improve metrics across the board. In this session, Dr. Ed Boudreau takes participants through the basic concepts and fundamental philosophies behind Six Sigma and Lean and the impact it can have on healthcare organizations.

Leaders, Liars, and Lunatics: Implementation of a Medical Staff Code of Conduct
Session Code: WE02
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: R. Dean White, DDS, MS

A medical staff model for dealing with the disruptive/distressed physician will be discussed including disruptive behavior, poor communication, anger management, sexual harassment, and boundary violations. Impairment secondary to alcohol, substance, and aging will be explained in detail. Signs and symptoms, evaluations and interventions as well as resources for recovery will be detailed.

What Information Can Your CVO Share with Clients and Other Hospitals?
Session Code: WE03
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Jack Diamond, Esq., JD

What if you discovered a malpractice claim against a practitioner while working for one hospital, then another client asks you to credential the same practitioner? Can you share what you learned? Are there legal ramifications about sharing information gathered on behalf of another organization? This session explores the legal effects of sharing information, even within your organization.

The New Rules of E-mail: Making Positive Connections
Session Code: WE04
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Alice N. Stitelman, PhD

E-mail has created as many problems as it has solved. This session explores how you may be missing opportunities to build relationships and achieve better results with e-mail. You’ll walk away with concrete ideas for increasing productivity, improving communication, and building mutually rewarding professional relationships.

Using and Reporting Qualitative Analysis of Credentialing Information
Session Code: WE05
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Susan T. Goodwin, RN, MSN, CPHQ, FNAHQ, FACHE

This session will address how credentialing data can be packaged and reported to the credentials committee, medical executive committee, and board in a way that conveys the results of qualitative analysis. Credentials reports commonly are presented to committees with only a listing of the name, license type, staff category and specialty—not substantive information upon which to make a credentialing decision. This session will describe the development of a very specific listing of all of the potential findings at each step of the credentialing process, and categorized them as red flag (deal-breakers), yellow flag (need more investigation or explanation), or green flag (clean) items of information. The categorization is then approved by the medical staff and board. The credentials report is then formatted as a color-coded display of all of the collected information. At a glance, a committee can see where to focus their discussion before they make a decision. The data can also be trended over time to determine the frequency of credentialing flags, and analyzed by a number of variables.

The Patient-Centered Medical Home: Transforming Primary Care
Session Code: WE06
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Anshu Choudhri, MHS

This session aims to provide an overview of the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), what it means to various stakeholders, who is involved and the latest developments across the Blue Cross Blue Shield system as well outside of the Blues around testing the Patient-Centered Medical Home model.

Credentialing the Allied Health Professional (The Joint Commission, NCQA, CMS Requirements)
Session Code: WE07
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Dilsa S. Bailey, CPMSM

This session helps you to identify Allied Health Professionals and their level of practice (dependent or independent practitioners); distinguish credentialing requirements by an accrediting or certifying agency to be used in a hospital setting or CVO; and compare core credentialing requirements for their level of practice.

Simplifying Healthcare Administration: Shifting from Concept to Application
Session Code: WE08
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Sorin Davis

The Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH), a nonprofit alliance of health plans and trade associations, is using a collaborative process to simplify healthcare administration through two initiatives: (1) UPD, the Universal Provider Datasource, and (2) CORE, the Committee on Operating Rules for Information Exchange. This presentation examines healthcare administration issues and successful collaborative approaches employed to create an industry standard for managing provider data and to build market adoption of a single set of electronic administrative data exchange standards.

Medical Malpractice/Insurance Certificates: What Do You Need to Know?
Session Code: WE09
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Mary Stone, CIC

This session deciphers the “medical malpractice” portion of physician applications, packets, and histories. By exploring various types of coverage, carriers, and different risk transfer mechanisms, all of which fall under the broad category of “malpractice insurance,” participants will be better able to understand physician coverage options and malpractice history, and how these impact your hospital.

Centralized Credentialing in a Multi-Entity Health System
Session Code: WE10
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Total CE Credits: 1.5
Presented by: Colleen E. Dowd

Many healthcare organizations are merging into multi-entity healthcare systems. This session will provide an overview of what medical staff-related services the presenter’s organization has centralized and the operational efficiencies and challenges of a centralized operation.