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Verify all applicants' work history

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, August 20, 2003

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Dear Credentialing Colleague:

Just last week I received a note from a medical staff services professional lamenting the additional work involved in gathering information about an applicant's clinical experience. She said that even though the JCAHO and NCQA do not require such data, her credentials committee chair still wants her department to gather information on each medical staff applicant regarding the type and volume of clinical work he or she has performed over the past 12 months.

Her note also indicated that some references refuse to provide such information, so simply sending a copy of the requested privileges list to former colleagues for their comments should suffice.

Chalk this one up to an excellent credentials committee chair. Hospitals definitely should require evidence of actual clinical experience before their committees consider requests for clinical privileges, even if it means putting in some extra work. Without knowing exactly what type of work a person has performed in the past, a credentials committee can't possibly make an educated decision about what type of work he or she will most likely perform in the future. One-half of the credentialing equation requires actual experience; the second requires evidence that proves that the experience demonstrates high-quality work.

If an applicant will not or cannot provide verified information about the types of treatments and procedures he or she has performed, any credentials committee would be justified in withholding a recommendation. Such a move is no different than any other business withholding a job offer until it calls references to confirm prior relevant work history.

Would you, for example, fly on a plane whose pilot had not flown recently? Probably not--but fortunately you don't have to worry about such a scenario. Commercial airlines in the U.S. require "verified evidence of actual experience" before allowing any pilot to fly.

That's all for this week.

All the best,

Hugh Greeley

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