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Supporting the recruitment/credentialing relationship

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, March 3, 2005

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Dear credentialing colleague:

If you are among the many credentialing professionals who believe that their hospital's recruitment department uses the medical staff credentialing process to fulfill its own "due diligence," it is up to you to help create a sound and supportive medical staff recruitment/credentialing relationship.

Too often I hear that a recruiter has encouraged a physician to make application to the medical staff without conducting appropriate due diligence in advance. Occasionally, this can result in significant confusion at the medical staff level as well as acrimony between credentialing personnel and management.

The worst case I have heard of involves a hospital's recruitment of an OB/GYN physician. In this case, a two-year contract with a signing bonus was executed and the physician relocated for the job. Upon making appointment to the medical staff however, disturbing details regarding education, training, experience, and competence were identified, thus resulting in a negative recommendation from the medical executive committee (MEC) to the board. The board wisely accepted the MEC's recommendation, knowing the hospital was now on the hook for the signing bonus and at least two years of salary. Subsequent litigation resulted in a costly settlement between the institution and the physician concerning complex contractual issues.

Clearly, any physician recruited by a hospital should be required to execute a contract that becomes effective only upon receipt of an unqualified recommendation for appointment by the MEC and affirmation by the board.

Neither management nor its recruiting arm should ever recruit a physician to the medical staff without conducting due diligence regarding the applicant's training, education, experience, competence, etc. Such due diligence should go beyond the minimum that is required in the medical staff bylaws. Management should ensure that a criminal background check has been performed in addition to a full financial background evaluation, whether required by the bylaws or not.

There should be no surprises whatsoever when the medical staff reviews the application of a physician who has been recruited by management to the medical community.

That's it for this week.

All the best,
Hugh Greeley
http://www.greeley.com/seminars/

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