Leadership | 02.02.26
Leading the Future Responsibly: Introducing the NAMSS Artificial Intelligence Task Force
By Kirsten Shaffer, CAE
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the systems, tools, and workflows that define modern credentialing, privileging, provider enrollment, and provider data management. As AI capabilities evolve, so does the responsibility to ensure that these technologies are implemented ethically, safely, and in ways that genuinely support the professionals who safeguard healthcare quality.
Recognizing both the potential and challenges of these technologies, NAMSS established the AI Task Force in late 2025. This task force is a strategic initiative dedicated to guiding the association and its members through this important technological turning point. We’d like to thank the members of the task force for their work to date and their future output:
- Chair: Susan DuBois, CPCS, CPMSM
- Michelle Butler, MS, CPCS, CPMSM
- Matt Dexter
- Teressa Grant, PESC
- Tawna Knight, CPCS
- Geneva Million, CPCS, CPMSM
- Daniel Santos, CPCS, CPMSM
- Joseph Travagline, MS, RHIA, CPMSM
- Alison Webster, MBA, CPCS, CPMSM, CPHQ, FMSP
Purpose: A Thoughtful, Ethical Approach to Innovation
The AI Task Force was formed with a clear and ambitious charge: to explore, assess, and provide recommendations regarding the responsible, ethical, and effective use of AI within the NAMSS community.
The task force will develop practical guidance and resources to help NAMSS members understand emerging tools, evaluate their risks and benefits, and adopt AI in ways that align with the core values of equity, privacy, transparency, and accountability.
Additionally, they will provide recommendations to the NAMSS Board of Directors on how AI should be used within NAMSS operations, ensuring the association models the same responsible practices it promotes.
Goals: A Roadmap for Member-Centered AI Leadership
To deliver on its charge, the AI Task Force is pursuing a comprehensive set of goals designed to meet members where they are, anticipate the needs of the profession, and build a structure for ongoing leadership in this space.
1. Analyze current and Emerging AI Trends
The task force will examine the tools, technologies, and industry developments most relevant to medical staff services. This includes healthcare-specific AI applications and broader tools that affect workflow, decision‑making, and data management.
2. Identify Risks, Opportunities, and Implications
AI brings efficiencies, as well as challenges. The group will assess what AI adoption means for data privacy, accuracy, bias, role evolution, and professional standards, ensuring members have clear visibility into benefits and limitations.
3. Gather Input Directly From NAMSS Members
Understanding what members are already using — or worried about — is essential. Through surveys, interviews, and listening sessions, the task force will explore current usage, knowledge gaps, perceived risks, and areas where guidance is urgently needed.
4. Document Practical Use Cases and Best Practices
From drafting workflows to data verification and process automation, AI offers many potential applications. The task force will identify real-world use cases and distill best practices that members can confidently apply in their day‑to‑day work.
5. Develop NAMSS AI Principles and Guidelines
These guidelines will help define what responsible AI looks like in healthcare credentialing and enrollment. They will support ethical, transparent, and accountable adoption across all professional contexts in the NAMSS community.
6. Recommend Strategies for Education and Engagement
Training, resource libraries, webinars, and standards will play a vital role in member readiness. The task force will propose a roadmap for equipping members with the knowledge and skills necessary to work with AI confidently.
7. Deliver a Comprehensive Report to the Board of Directors
This final deliverable will include findings, member guidance, and strategic recommendations. The task force will also advise on whether NAMSS should establish an ongoing AI committee or long‑term initiative to sustain this work.
Why This Work Matters Now
Many perceive that AI is beginning to disrupt healthcare operations even though AI is not new and has been involved in healthcare operations for decades, supporting everything from diagnostic imaging to administrative decision support. What is changing now is the pace and scale of innovation, as new AI-powered tools and automation capabilities are rapidly emerging and reshaping how credentialing, data verification, and process management are approached across the industry.
NAMSS has a unique opportunity to define what responsible adoption looks like and to support the professionals who sit at the center of healthcare quality and safety. The AI Task Force will ensure that members have trusted, evidence‑based guidance to navigate this transition while protecting the integrity of their work, supporting the privacy of the data they manage, and protecting the reputation of their organizations.
Looking Ahead
As the Task Force advances its work, NAMSS members can expect a steady flow of updates, opportunities to participate, and resources that translate complex technologies into practical insights tailored for medical services providers (MSPs). Here are some things you can look forward to in the coming months:
- Regular content releases, including articles and podcasts;
- An AI discussion member forum where you can communicate directly with the AI Task Force to share your lessons learned, concerns, and questions;
- Example policies and guidance for MSPs;
- And much more.
The Task Force also launched a survey, available online here. It only takes a few minutes to participate, and responses will help the group prioritize its work and best meet member needs. Once data from the survey has been aggregated and assessed, the Task Force will share the short term and long-term strategy, along with a plan for providing education and resources for NAMSS members. We strongly encourage all members to participate in order to help make these efforts a success.
AI may be transforming the landscape, but the values guiding our profession remain constant. Through this initiative, NAMSS is ensuring that innovation moves forward responsibly, ethically, and with member needs at the forefront.