El Centro
El Centro College
El Centro College and Dallas E-campus of the Dallas Community College District announce the first online Associate in Applied Sciences in Medical Staff Services degree program conducted via the Internet. This online degree in medical staff services is the first in the nation to be conducted completely via the Internet and available to students worldwide.
DALLAS E-campus is the virtual campus of the Dallas Community College District. E-campus provides access to quality college instruction and student services including academic advising, online admissions and registration, financial aid, library and career services and more. Information about the college, the program and the registration process, as well as links to course information, is available online at http://www.ecc.dcccd.edu/Programs/HealthLegalstudies/packets/ Additional information about the degree program can be found at http://www.ecc.dcccd.edu/Programs/HealthLegalStudies/medstaff/index.htm
The Medical Staff Services degree program is a 64-credit hour curriculum, comprised of nine technical courses that cover the organization of the medical staff services department, credentialing, privileging, meeting management, accreditation, legal and ethical aspects of health care, peer review, performance improvement, medical terminology and disease processes, and directed work experience - in addition to computer, business, science and general studies courses.
Medical Staff Services courses now online include Medical Staff Services I (MSST 1301), Medical Staff Services II (MSST 1340) Medical Staff Law (MSST1302), Performance Improvement (MSST 1341), Medical Staff Services III (MSST 2331). Additionally courses in medical terminology, disease process, supervisory management, psychology, speech communications and business software applications are available online or can be taken at a local community college for credit transfer.
Classes begin the fourth week of August and the second week of January each semester. Courses are 16 weeks in duration with time off for holidays. Registration begins the second week of June for the Fall Semester and the second week of November for the Spring Semester. Students do not have to be online at any particular time, however, there are due dates for assignments. All course work is done on the computer. Instructors are available by e-mail and telephone.
Please direct questions about the program to Cindy Gassiot, CPMSM, CPCS at (210) 494-2847 or cgassiot@satx.rr.com.
El Centro Online Courses
In 2009, El Centro College began to offer a series of affordable online continuing education courses in medical staff services. The following courses will be offered in the spring of 2012. Registration begins November 22, 2011 and continues until Jan 9 (later for the February and March courses):
Jan. 9 – Feb. 17 – MSST-2000-52111
Tuition is $99.00.
Feb. 20 – Mar. 23 – MSST-2000- 52121
Tuition is $99.
Medical Staff Services Administration – Accredited by NAMSS for 10 CEUs (Covers material other than credentialing that is included in the CPMSM exam)
Medical Staff Services I – 48 contact hours – 16 weeks. This is the same course that has been offered for college credit. Covers medical staff organization, credentialing and accreditation standards. Previously a college credit course. The above 5 week courses are excerpts of this course.
Tuition is $150.00
Textbook: The Medical Staff Services Handbook: Fundamentals and Beyond, 2nd edition, by Gassiot, Searcy and Giles, (ISBN 9780763784416) Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Medical Staff Services II - 48 contact hours – 16 weeks. Covers managed care credentialing, other accreditations such as IRB and managing meetings. Previously a college credit course.
Jan. 17 – May 10 – MSST-1040.52101
Tuition is $150.00
Textbook: Managed Care What It Is and How It Works, 3rd edition by Kongstvedt
Medical Staff Law – 48 contact hours – 16 weeks. Covers law related to medical staff credentialing, peer review, due process. Previously a college credit course.
Jan. 17 – May 10 – MSST-1002.52101; Tuition is $150.00
Textbook: Legal Essentials of Health Care Administration by George Pozgar and
The Medical Staff Services Handbook: Fundamentals and Beyond, 2nd edition, by Gassiot, Searcy and Giles, (ISBN 9780763784416) Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Medical Staff Services III – 48 hours – 16 weeks. Advanced course that focuses on bylaws and methods to research and review applications and credentials to determine privileging, establish peer review processes and investigate and resolve problem areas. Previously a college credit course.
Jan. 17 – May 10 – MSST-2031.52101; Tuition is $150.00
Textbook: The Medical Staff Services Handbook: Fundamentals and Beyond, 2nd edition, by Gassiot, Searcy and Giles, (ISBN 9780763784416) Jones and Bartlett
Performance Improvement - 48 hours – 16 weeks. Focuses on Performance improvement in health care. Theories fundamental to TQM and CQI are explored and applied to the health care setting. Evolution of efforts to measure quality in healthcare organizations and attitudes of physicians concerning these efforts are examined. Statistical tools and use of CQI teams are described. The TJC PI standards are covered, with emphasis on expectations of the medical staff organization. National Committee for Quality Assurance required monitors are reviewed.
Jan. 17 – May 10 – MSST1041.52101; Tuition is $150
Textbook: McLaughlin and Kaluzny’s Continuous Quality Improvement in Health Care, 4th Edition, by Sollecito and Johnson. (ISBN 978-0-7637-8154-5) Jones and Bartlett Publishers
The MSS Handbook textbook will be used for all of these courses, including the 5 week courses. All books are available online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Please note that it takes around two weeks to receive the textbook after ordering.
If you have new staff in your department needing in-depth information on credentialing, these courses are perfect for them. The courses are also a good refresher for those of you who need CEUs to maintain your credentials. Don’t delay, register today! All courses will assist in preparing for the certification exams.
To register and pay by credit card, call the Continuing Education Division at 214-860-2260 or 214-860-2696 and ask for course number noted above.
For more information on these courses, please contact Cindy Gassiot, CPMSM, CPCS at cgassiot@satx.rr.com for the 16 week courses or Bonnie Conley, CPCS at bconley1@msn.com for the 5 week courses.
