Leadership

Proud to Be MSPs: Day 3 of #NAMSS25

By NAMSS Publications Committee

Every year, the final day of the NAMSS conference is bittersweet. As attendees say goodbye to friends old and new, there’s a buzzing excitement and energy of all the knowledge gained and connections made that will last beyond the conference time. Read on for a recap of the final day of #NAMSS25, featuring insights from attendees and the NAMSS Publications Committee.

MSPs Are ‘Fear[less]’

After a morning sharing breakfast, attending breakout sessions, and winding down the conference experience, NAMSS attendees gathered for the final session of the day, “Closing Keynote: The Stress Advantage: Harnessing the Power of Stress to Boost Performance.” Before speaker Dr. Rebecca Heiss took the stage, NAMSS President Karen Claxton, MBA, CPCS, CPMSM, FMSP, addressed the audience one final time in her current role. Karen shared how the MSP community’s impact will continue to grow far beyond the boundaries of the Oregon Convention Center’s walls. Karen then went on to acknowledge the outgoing committee chairs and thank all NAMSS volunteers for the time and passion they dedicate to advancing the MSP profession through their work with NAMSS.

Next, NAMSS Conference Chair Ann Klinger, CPCS, CPMSM, gave one final conference update for the day. She thanked the audience for their incredible passion, curiosity, and energy, and reminded them to catch sessions they missed on the NAMSS Digital Experience. Throughout the conference, attendees were asked to reflect on each day. During this final address, Ann shared a word cloud of the responses:

Before handing the mic back to Karen, Ann reminded the MSPs in the audience that they are the ones cultivating excellence and continuously adapting in the evolving healthcare continuum, and that this experience at NAMSS empowers MSPs in this responsibility.

Next, NAMSS 2026 President Alison Webster, MBA, CPCS, CPMSM, CPHQ, FMSP, took the stage to share how she plans to lead NAMSS to expand its impact and elevate the vital role of the MSP. Alison introduced herself as an avid scuba diver, trail runner, and novice beekeeper outside of her roles as an MSP and NAMSS officer. She previewed the association’s strategic goals of leading the change, partnering with organizations who have shared missions and advocacy, embracing AI, and amplifying NAMSS as a professional home for the next generation of MSPs. Before introducing the keynote speaker, Alison excited the crowd for the upcoming Proud to Be an MSP campaign, which has more content coming soon. We hope you all had the chance to grab a button, sticker, or T-shirt to show off your MSP pride this week!

To close the show, Dr. Rebecca Heiss, a researcher who helps individuals overcome subconscious fears to lead to success and happiness via science-backed strategies and actionable insights, took the stage for an engaging, entertaining, and empowering presentation. We all know getting rid of stress is easier said than done. Dr. Heiss’s strategy involves using stress to your advantage to perform at your best, even under pressure. Dr. Heiss introduced the “Fear[less] stress formula”, which involved:

• The “tiger” (or stress) approaching.
• The “transfer” of the stressful energy to something more positive.
• Putting yourself on a “trajectory” to seeing stress through a new lens.

One brave volunteer, Natalie, put this formula into action. All attendees who took a white ping pong ball upon coming into the session were asked to ping it at Natalie. The white ping pong balls represented negative stress. Natalie stood there and took it! The visual and action was an eye-opening way to put Dr. Heiss’s strategy into action. Dr. Heiss encouraged MSPs to “invite the tiger in for tea,” as curiosity and fear cannot coexist. She told the audience to get curious with what’s going on to cause a stress response instead of trying to get rid of it. Perhaps the most powerful takeaway for MSPs Dr. Heiss shared that that service to others mitigates a stress response in the workplace. How fitting, as MSPs mission is ensuring patient safety.

Concurrent Session Key Takeaways

Check out some highlights from the final day of sessions:

• AI will not replace physicians. AI will replace physicians — or anyone in healthcare — who are not willing to work with AI.
• AI can be helpful for data analysis, meeting and communication, content creation, transition and transcription, and administrative efficiency. Consider it for bylaws writing. It doesn’t replace MSPs or healthcare professionals, but it’s a tool that MSPs can work with collaboratively to save time or kickstart content.
• Communication is a two-way street. You can’t control what the other person is thinking or receiving, but you can think about what you can control. There are subtle things you can do in your communication with another to get their buy in. Consider their love language. Is their love language “love”? Ask about their family or friends. Open the door so that they feel more open and comfortable with you.

Live From Portland

On the final day of #NAMSS25, we caught up with a few attendees to hear what they enjoyed most about the conference experience.

• “I like those half-hour Skill Booster sessions. I almost wish they were longer at times!” —NAMSS Attendee
• “I'm not certified. I've been working in a hospital for almost 25 years. I started in the emergency room as a health unit coordinator. And then about four years ago, I started working in medical staff and had a great mentor the first year that I was there who set me up for success. At this conference, I learned that I know more than I thought, that I was able to connect with others and share experiences and know that I'm not alone in situations, and that we all have similar problems. I have been inspired by several of the speakers here; I’ve been going to great courses, great content, great speakers. It’s been a very positive experience. I'm glad that I came … But I really am serious about certification. Even though I don't do every piece of medical staff services, I don't do credentialing, but I'm in a hospital, and I really want to do a certification. I've been trying to get inspired and maybe get a mentor. I got a lot from this conference, and I'm glad that I came. I think it's helped me maybe choose a course. —NAMSS Attendee Stephanie

What else happened live in Portland, you may ask? The recording of the next episode of the Tomorrow’s MSP^® Podcast! Look out for a deep-dive conversation about credentialing by proxy vs. delegated credentialing from subject matter experts and NAMSS Publications Committee members Karen Vineyard and Jennifer Dorais, hosted by fellow committee member Teresa Saulnier, hitting the airwaves this month.

Jennifer, Teresa, and Karen after recording a podcast episode you won't want to miss!

What’s Next?

#NAMSS25 may have come to a close, but the education, connection, and celebration of the MSP profession does not stop here. Here are a few ways you can stay involved and stay empowered to be Tomorrow’s MSP^®:

• Celebrate #MSPWeek, Nov. 2–8, 2025. Check out the NAMSS celebration resources here.
• Mark your calendars for the NAMSS 50th conference, taking place Oct. 18–21, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana!
• Read Gateway — with new articles published every week, two new members-only articles available to you each month, a twice-monthly newsletter, and a podcast, there are always new insights available to the MSP community.
• Join NAMSS. If you’re not a member, what are you waiting for? After your conference experience, year-round membership is something you don’t want to miss.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the NAMSS Publications Committee for contributing to these daily recaps as conference reporters.

Check out the Day 1 and Day 2 conference recaps on Gateway.