Most people don’t realize how much work it takes to onboard a new practitioner to a hospital or clinic. Basically, medical institutions can’t allow any person from the streets to treat their patients. They need to perform a thorough background check that would ensure this individual is qualified to perform a specific task.
According to Andros, a top-tier CVO, the verification process usually takes from three to four months. The problem for medical organizations is that they need to sign a contract with a professional before they can start credentialing. In other words, they will have to cover three or four paychecks before doctors can step into their office.
Because of this, medical organizations are always on the lookout for new strategies to expedite the process. In this article, we’ll talk about different things you can do to quicken verification and ensure that the top talent can work in your clinic.
Create a standardization strategy
Given the focus on quickness, credentialing often feels like a chaotic process. Healthcare providers need to execute the task as soon as possible to introduce the new staff member. To do so, they often have to jump from one thing to another, prioritizing certain actions over another. What’s worse, credentialing is often done by the non-specialized staff, forcing them to skip their normal daily duties.
The best way to streamline the process is by introducing standardization. The process has to be meticulous, data-based, and to have predetermined phases. That way, you can rest assured that the onboarding was done in the most efficient manner and that you haven’t made any errors along the way.
Perhaps the best way to standardize the process is by introducing core privileges. This is a set of rules and requirements that each professional needs to fulfill according to their specialization. It also doesn't hurt to introduce specialized verification software to expedite the task.
Use modern programs
Speaking of technology, there's only a handful of medical organizations that still use traditional paper filing. Most providers have switched to digital technology, allowing them to create massive databases on their computers. Cloud solutions are even better as they make the data easily accessible to all staff members via the Internet.
Keeping the data online is perfect for simplifying the process but is also crucial for re-credentialing. With advanced tools, a credentialing team can be notified when the certifications and licenses are close to expiring. It's also suggested that you create checklists, which will allow you to streamline the process for different departments and positions.
Create centralized approach
Large medical organizations often have several clinics with separate staff. This can pose a problem during credentialing if every location does the process only for its staff. Ideally, you should create a single system that would cover all locations and all employees.
The previously mentioned software is great for this particular task, but you'll also like to change your methodology. The thing you can do is create a specialized credentialing department that would oversee the process for all locations. They will also store data within the same system to avoid potential discrepancies.
Introduce best collaboration practices
In a normal situation, healthcare providers are divided into silos. This can cause all sorts of issues for hospitals with various departments, making collaboration virtually impossible. For example, a GP might have to communicate with specialists when sending patients their way, but specialists don't necessarily have to interact with GPs.
With an optimized process, all departments should be on the same page. Most notably, you should introduce the same procedure for all these practitioners and departments.
Through simplified collaboration, you also build team trust. It isn't uncommon for some employees to mistrust credentialing departments and even work against them. So, by making everything more transparent, all staff members will be on the same page and will understand what's happening on the backend.
Follow current trends
Like anything else nowadays, credentialing is constantly changing. New technologies are hitting the market every few years, further simplifying this otherwise complex procedure. So, if you want to ensure your internal processes are as good as they can be, we suggest reading regular updates from regulatory organizations and networking with other practitioners.
By staying on top of current regulations, you won't have to struggle as much with the verification process. Sometimes, organizations perform credentialing that isn't in accordance with the current regulatory rules. As a result, they have to backtrack their processes, causing massive delays and data inconsistencies.
We also suggest that you constantly monitor popular tools and look for better solutions for your internal process. Good credentialing software can shave off several days from every employee onboarding, ensuring that newly-signed professionals can reach the office faster. Not only that, but newer tools can also minimize human errors that credentialing is otherwise famous for.
