NAMSS asks CMS for clarity on privileging, staff questions

In an April 8 letter to Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) sought clarification of some provisions in CMS–3267–P. The proposed rule aims to reduce outmoded or unnecessarily burdensome rules, according to the Federal Registry.

However, in a letter that appeared on the NAMSS webpage, the Washington D.C.-based association sought clarifications to ensure that the proposed rule—including proposed changes for privileging hospital registered dietitians, hospital governing body and hospital medical staff—doesn’t result in additional burdens on hospitals and their staffs.

The association called on CMS to consider the following comments in determining its final policy:

Hospital registered dietitian privileges:

“NAMSS requests clarification to affirm that the proposal only provides hospitals the option to credential and privilege dietitians,” because many hospitals use contractors to supply dietitians and there is no consistent roster of dietitians on staff. If these hospitals were required to credential dietitians, MSPs would need to constantly credential new dietitians and the high turnover rate would generate additional expenditures, the letter stated.  

Hospital governing body:

NAMSS commended CMS’ proposal to allow medical staffs within a hospital to consult directly with the governing body, but recommended that CMS provide hospitals the option of incorporating direct physician involvement on the governing body while having the governing body seek direct input from the hospital’s medical staff leadership at least twice a year.

The association also asked CMS to clarify whether this requirement pertains to the full governing body or encompasses subcommittees of the governing body as well.

NAMSS voiced its concern that CMS’s proposal to require each hospital to have its own distinct organized and individual medical staff would reduce multi-hospital systems’ flexibility to design and implement system-wide medical oversight structures to maximize efficiency and patient safety.

“Allowing hospitals the flexibility to implement practical policies that reflect their individual state and hospital-system rules and regulations will help CMS more effectively reduce redundancy, provide clarity, and ultimately, increase healthcare efficiency,” stated NAMSS President Melissa Walters, MHA, CPMSM, CPCS, MSOW-C, in the letter.

Read the full text of the NAMSS letter here.