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Ask the expert: How can I verify information from a closed facility?

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, January 10, 2008

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If a facility has closed and you cannot obtain information via a primary source, you may use a secondary source. Examples of secondary-source information include written statements from individuals who were in leadership positions in the closed organization or statements from a successor organization. Usually, if a hospital has closed, it will have transferred the medical staff records to another facility. If the hospital is part of a healthcare system, the system's main office or another system hospital can provide information as to the locations of the files. Also, the medical staff office of other hospitals in the same city often will have information concerning the location of these records.

The Joint Commission allows the use of reliable secondary sources after an organization makes a documented attempt to contact the primary source. A footnote in the standards allows another hospital with documented primary source verification of the applicant's credentials to serve as the secondary source.

This answer was taken from The 2008 Credentials Verification Desk Reference, by Kathy Matzka, CPMSM, CPCS, available here.

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