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Medical Staff Affairs

Happy woman in office setting

The University of Kansas Health System Kansas City Division's medical staff affairs office supports new physicians, attending physicians and allied health professionals in a variety of ways. We support the medical staff in all delegated activities performed on behalf of the board of directors of The University of Kansas Hospital, ensuring quality patient care. We process applications and credentialing requirements for The University of Kansas Health System and its subsidiaries, including The University of Kansas Physicians. For our medical staff, these delegated agreements mean less paperwork with managed care providers.

How does medical staff affairs keep patients safe?

Our medical staff office ensures patient safety by:

  • Credentialing and privileging qualified and competent providers
  • Ensuring medical staff business is performed, documented and endorsed by our Executive Committee of the Medical Staff (ECMS) and hospital governing board approval
  • Helping to implement initiatives that our medical staff and hospital governing board approve
  • Providing guidance and support to help our medical staff leaders make informed decisions
  • Tracking expiring credentials in all medical staff/allied health files
  • Facilitating adherence to the medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations, including The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) guidelines and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines
  • Informing medical staff about all important issues through email and other communication mediums

To contact medical staff affairs, call 913-588-1200.

Governing documents

Meeting calendar

Please find 2023 meeting schedules below:

  • Location: MSO conference room
    Time: Noon

    Dates: TBD

  • Time: 7-8 a.m. 

    2023 dates:

    • Jan.13
    • Feb.10
    • Mar.10
    • Apr. 14
    • May 12
    • Jun. 9
    • Jul. 14
    • Aug. 11
    • Sept.8
    • Oct. 13
    • Nov. 10
    • Dec.8
  • Time: 11 a.m. 

    2023 dates:

    • Jan. 5
    • Feb. 9
    • Mar. 9
    • Apr. 13
    • May 11
    • Jun. 8
    • Jul. 13
    • Aug. 3
    • Sept. 14
    • Oct. 12
    • Nov. 2
    • Dec. 14
  • Time: Noon-1 p.m. 

    2023 dates:

    • Jan. 9
    • Feb. 13
    • Mar. 13
    • Apr. 17
    • May 15
    • Jun. 12
    • Jul. 17
    • Aug. 7
    • Sept. 18
    • Oct. 16
    • Nov. 6
    • Dec.18
  • Time: 3:30-5 p.m. 

    2023 dates:

    • Jan. 12
    • Feb. 16
    • Mar. 16
    • Apr. 20
    • May 18
    • Jun. 22
    • Jul. 20
    • Aug. 10
    • Sept. 21
    • Oct. 19
    • Nov. 9
    • Dec. 21
  • * = Board executive committee meeting only 

    2023 dates:

    • Jan.19
    • Feb. 23*
    • Mar. 23
    • Apr. 27*
    • May 25
    • Jun. 29*
    • July 27
    • Aug. 24*
    • Sept. 28
    • Oct. 26*
    • Nov. 16
    • Dec. 28*

Rosters, medical staff officers and clinical service chiefs

Meet our team

Judi Smedra

Judi Smedra, CPMSM, CPCS, Director

Judi became a hospital authority employee in December 1998 and has more than 40 years of experience as a medical staff coordinator in facilities ranging from a 97-bed rural hospital to a 910-bed academic hospital. She also worked for a managed care organization. She directs daily activities in the health system medical staff office with more than 1,600 providers, as well as serves as expert in credentialing to meet both The Joint Commission standards and National Commission on Quality Accreditation for delegated credentialing activities. She has been active in state and national organizations in her field holding offices in both.

Fonte Jamerson

Fonte Jamerson, Credentialing Coordinator

Fonte joined The University of Kansas Health System in  November 2022. She started in the healthcare industry in 2007. She has previous experience as a patient account lead at the health system. Originally from Kansas City, she most recently worked as a medical staff credentialing coordinator at Mercy Regional Medical Center, managed by Centura, in Denver, Colo. She has background in managed care and patient accounting. She will be processing both allied health and medical staff applications.

Rebecca Whitney

Becky Whitney, Credentialing Coordinator

Becky has been with the medical staff office since June 2016. Originally from Shawnee, Kansas, she returned to the KC area from Dallas, Texas, to join our staff. She has previous experience as credentialing coordinator with a physician group. She processes medical staff and allied health professional applications and is designated our lead for questions relating to allied health applications.

Casey Watts

Casey Watts, CPMSM, CPCS, Interim Manager

Casey started with the medical staff office in August 2020. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Casey has been in the credentialing field since 2012 and comes to us from UCLA Health, Los Angeles, California, where she most recently served as the medical staff office manager and has experience working with the UCLA CVO. She will be processing initial and reappointment applications for medical staff and allied health professionals and will be taking on more responsibilities as she becomes acquainted with our processes. Casey has served NAMSS as a member of the testing redesign committee for the certification board.

Grace Clark

E. Grace Clark, Credentialing Coordinator

Grace has more than 14 years experience as credentialing coordinator in the medical staff office at North Kansas City Hospital and University Health before joining The University of Kansas Health System. Previous experience also includes data specialist (Cerner) and in customer service (Sprint). She also has extensive experience processing new and reappointment applications for medical staff and allied health professionals. Additionally, Grace has served in a lead role in obtaining FPPE evaluations as required by The Joint Commission. She is a lifelong resident of Kansas City area.

Rachel Salido

Rachel Salido, Administrative Assistant

Rachel joined the Medical Staff Affairs office on March 2, 2023. She spent the last 12 years in an educational setting as the secretary to the principal at an elementary school in Kansas City, Kansas. Educated in Mass Communication at Baker University, Rachel has worked as a manuscript editor at American Academy of Family Physicians, as well as a freelance writer and editor. She has also worked as an administrative assistant for a radiology group in San Diego, California.

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