Synergy - May/June 2014 - 6

editor's column

A Love of Learning

A

s I continue my preparations for
serving as your NAMSS President,
I'm motivated to cultivate a greater
love of learning. I think of myself as
someone who loves acquiring new
information, but I need to expand my
learning process to be a great leader to
each of you.

Linda M. Waldorf, BS,
CPMSM, CPCS
Director, UNC OMSS and CCO
UNC Health Care System
CB 7600
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: 919/966-1660
Fax: 919/843-0055
Linda.Waldorf@unch.unc.edu

As I mentioned in my column in the
March/April 2014 issue of SYNERGY, I am
attending the SmithBucklin Leadership
Institute this year. I am headed home now
from my first session of the Institute. I have
to confess that three days in Chicago in
early March was not that appealing, and I
was not looking forward to sitting in class
all day. However, I went with an attitude
that it was going to be a wonderful learning
experience, and I was not disappointed. The
time in the classroom flew. I not only gained
new knowledge but also came away with
tangible action items. I plan to share this
valuable knowledge with the NAMSS Board
of Directors and my colleagues at work.

For many years, NAMSS has been a
vital source of information to guide and
supplement our learning. I hope you enjoy
the articles in SYNERGY and the many other
educational resources available through our
professional association. NAMSS Gateway, our
new monthly newsletter, is just fantastic! I love
knowing that it will provide me with all of the
most recent industry news in one place.
I especially encourage you to come to
the Annual Conference. It is such a great
learning and networking opportunity. So
many times, I hear my colleagues say
that they cannot get away from the office
because they are so busy. Making time to
attend the conference will "sharpen the
saw." It is worth the effort. I know some of
us cannot attend due to budget restrictions,
and we are thankful to have the tools
in place to deliver some sessions of the
conference via new technology. However,
I encourage you to keep the goal alive to
attend the Annual Conference in person
whenever possible.

A love of learning is almost essential for us as we strive to learn,
interrupt, and implement these changing standards.
As I reflect on this topic of learning, I think
about how much more we, as medical
staff/managed care coordinators, managers,
directors, and credentialing specialists, have
to know now compared to what we did
only a few years ago. In the hospital setting,
it was primarily The Joint Commission
standards, and those only changed about
every three years. Now, many of us need
to know and comply with a wide range of
regulatory agencies, such as CMS, DNV,
NCQA, URAC, a growing number of payer
plan requirements, state regulatory agencies,
and the list continues. With faster and easier
methods of communication, it seems there
is always someone changing a standard. A
love of learning is almost essential for us
as we strive to learn, and implement these
changing standards.

6

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SYNERGY MAY/JUNE 2014

The focus of this issue of SYNERGY is NAMSS
PASS. As the Officers, Director at Large,
and NAMSS PASS Task Force members have
spoken around the country, we realized
that we need to do more to educate on the
wonderful resource NAMSS PASS is for all
of us. I hope you will enjoy this learning
opportunity and gain the knowledge to
educate your leaders, staff, and colleagues.
In closing, I am reading a great book about
Abraham Lincoln. It is 366 Days in Abraham
Lincoln's Presidency. He loved learning!
I will close with one of my favorite quotes
by Abraham Lincoln: "Always bear in mind
that your own resolution to succeed is more
important than any other."
I think his words are good counsel for all of us.
Synergy - May/June 2014

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