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Take caution when using applications with pre-populated fields

Credentialing & Verification Update, January 16, 2008

Many organizations pre-populate medical staff applications (both initial and reappointment) for the convenience of the practitioner. The practice, though convenient, can have unintended consequences if the applicant does not read the pre-populated fields thoroughly and carelessly attests to something that is untrue. Therefore, make it clear to applicants that it is their responsibility to ensure that everything on the application (including pre-populated fields) is accurate, and that failure to do so could result in disciplinary action or charges of falsification.

The following example illustrates another potential danger of pre-populating fields: A healthcare organization had a very long state-required form for reappointment. A practitioner completed his application for reappointment at Happy Valley Hospital in August, but his application for reappointment at Glad Dale Hospital was not due until December. Rather than forward him the entire application for review, the MSP forwarded him only the interrogatories and release forms for review and signature.

Though it had been only a few months since the first application for reappointment, circumstances could easily have changed (e.g., a malpractice suit could have been filed against him, or his status at another facility might have changed). By not sending the application to the physician to review, the MSP inadvertently placed him at risk. His reappointment could have been denied for failure to provide the updated information.

Of course, one could argue that the physician should not have signed the application without having read the entire thing. However, from the practitioner's point of view, he may have thought he had seen everything he needed to review.

Source: The 2008 Credentials Verification Desk Reference.

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