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Credentialing committee composition

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, August 24, 2006

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When you consider the wide-ranging responsibilities and duties of credentials committee members, it is no surprise that a key factor to successful decision-making and resolution of difficult issues is having an experienced team led by a medical staff leader who is knowledgeable about all of the intricacies of the credentialing and privileging processes.

Experienced credentials committees successfully avoid the following types of errors:

• Information error: Information that would have affected the credentialing decision-making process was available, but the committee was unaware of its existence.
• Decision error: Information key to the credentialing decision was known to the committee, but leaders failed to apply it in making their decision.

The credentials committee has tremendous responsibility for the oversight of sensitive and potentially litigious deliberations related to credentialing and privileging. Consider revamping the rules for committee membership if either of the following situations exist:

 Your current credentials committee does not advocate for continuous terms for members who are willing to serve

 Your current credentials committee does not allow for tried-and-true leaders (e.g., past presidents, chiefs of staff, and past department chairs) who have vast experience in credentialing and privileging processes to comprise the majority of its makeup

To close on a lighthearted note-it is summer after all--I'd like to share a quote from actor Michael Caine that I recently came across. It reminds me of all of the medical staff professionals who play a role in credentialing and privileging:

"Be like a duck: Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath."

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