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Question of the week: What’s the difference between credentialing and credentials verification?

Credentialing & Verification Update, February 10, 2009

One point of confusion for many people is the difference between the terms credentialing and credentials verification. Credentials verification—determining whether a practitioner’s credentials are authentic and valid—is only one aspect of the credentialing process. With credentials verification, there is nothing to decide and the results speak for themselves; an applicant has or has not graduated from medical school, has or has not completed a residency, and does or does not have a valid license to practice medicine in a particular state.

The term credentialing, however, refers to the overall process of gathering and verifying credentials information, reviewing that information, and making a decision to grant or deny medical staff membership and the request for clinical privileges.

The previous text is an excerpt from the HCPro, Inc., book The Comprehensive Guide to Credentialing and Privileging for Ambulatory Surgery, by  Laura Harrington, RN, BS, MHA, CPHQ; Beverly E. Pybus, CPMSM; Dawn Q. McLane, RN, MSA, CASC, CNOR.

To get other credentialing and privileging news and information, visit our blog at: www.credentialingresourcecenter.com/blog.

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