Leadership | 11.05.25
MSP Week 2025 Writing Contest: Part 2
By NAMSS Members
Happy MSP Week! As part of the 2025 celebration, we invited MSPs from across the NAMSS community to submit their thoughts and reflections about their profession in the form of poetry and articles. Keep an eye on Gateway throughout the week to read all of the submissions and embrace your MSP pride!
Behind Every Provider: The Unsung Role of a Medical Staff Credentialing Coordinator
By Christine Hill
When patients step into a hospital or clinic, they often assume that every physician, nurse practitioner, and allied health professional is qualified to deliver safe, competent care. What many don't realize is that there's an entire process — and a dedicated professional — behind that assurance.
As a medical staff credentialing coordinator, I'm part of the foundation that keeps patient care safe and compliant. My work ensures that every provider who joins our organization has met the rigorous standards set by accrediting bodies, regulatory agencies, and our own medical staff bylaws. It's a role that combines meticulous attention to detail with a deep sense of purpose — because behind every credential file is a patient who deserves safe, qualified care.
More Than Paperwork
Credentialing is often described as a behind-the-scenes job, but it's one of the most essential safeguards in healthcare. We are often referred to as a "secretary," but the work we do goes far beyond administrative support. My day can involve reviewing licensure and board certifications, confirming education and training, following up with peer references, or preparing files for committee review.
Each step requires not just accuracy, but critical thinking. Sometimes, a single document or discrepancy can uncover a potential issue that protects patients and preserves our hospital's integrity. In many ways, we serve as both detective and guardian — ensuring that providers meet every standard before caring for a single patient.
Bridging the Gap Between MSPs and Physicians
One of the most rewarding — and sometimes challenging — parts of this role is working directly with physicians and advanced practice providers. There can occasionally be a misunderstanding of what credentialing really involves. Some see it as an obstacle or a delay in their onboarding, rather than a process built to protect them and their patients.
That's why I believe one of the most important parts of being an MSP is bridging the gap between credentialing professionals and the medical staff. By building trust and open communication, we help physicians understand that our goal is not to slow them down, but to support their success and ensure their credentials reflect their true professionalism.
When collaboration happens, credentialing transforms from a checklist into a partnership — one rooted in mutual respect and a shared commitment to patient care.
Challenges That Build Expertise
The world of credentialing is constantly evolving. Between The Joint Commission standards, CMS regulations, payer enrollment requirements, and system updates, there's always something new to learn.
These challenges demand adaptability, organization, and teamwork. Whether collaborating with department chairs, medical staff leaders, or human resources, the work requires clear communication and a shared commitment to doing what's right.
Despite the challenges, the rewards are immense. There's a unique satisfaction in seeing a provider's first day of privileges, knowing the process behind it was thorough, ethical, and compliant. It's one of those quiet victories that remind you how much impact unseen work can have.
A Profession on the Rise
Over the years, credentialing has grown far beyond administrative data entry. Today, credentialing professionals play key roles in compliance, risk management, quality assurance, and data integrity.
An automated system might check a box, but it cannot recognize patterns, question inconsistencies, or evaluate context. MSPs bring the critical thinking and ethical awareness that technology can't replicate. We are the bridge between data and decision-making, between policy and patient safety.
Our field is finally gaining recognition for its true impact — and it's well deserved. Behind every credentialing file, there's an MSP ensuring that standards aren't just met but upheld with integrity.
Why It Matters
Credentialing has taught me that excellence in healthcare doesn't only happen at the bedside — it starts long before that. It starts in the background, where dedicated professionals verify, review, and protect the standards that define safe patient care.
Every verified license, every approved application, and every credentialing decision reflects a promise to our patients: The people caring for them are qualified, competent, and trustworthy.
That's what makes this work meaningful. That's what makes it matter.
A Call to Action
Let us continue to elevate the role of medical services professionals. The more we share what MSPs do, the stronger our field becomes.
Start a conversation with your peers, leaders, or providers about the value and skills of credentialing. Awareness is the first step toward recognition.
Author: Jessica Schwalm
Title: Untitled
I am proud to be an MSP
because
Super Awesome Multi-Tasking Miracle Worker
isn't a job title.
We get what needs to be done ... Done!