Bringing order and structure to the process of physician credentialing is one of the most meticulous tasks ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) face on the administrative side of their business. To help organize the effort, a new white paper from MedHQ titled, Overcoming Four Challenges Surgery Centers Face in Physician Credentialing, outlines tips for addressing four challenges associated with this critical element of successful ASC staffing and operation.
A leading provider of human resources, accounting, and back-office administrative services focused specifically on the ASC market, MedHQ helps centers improve revenue, lower costs, and take time-consuming tasks off the plates of administrators, allowing them to focus on the high-value priorities of running and managing surgery centers.
“The process of physician credentialing is very exacting work, and it is critically important,” says MedHQ CEO Tom Jacobs. “Every day, patients are putting their lives in the hands of their doctors, and credentialing is a key element of the accountability that comes with a physician’s job and an ASC’s responsibility. Our new white paper leverages our experience to share steps leaders can take to overcome credentialing challenges.”
MedHQ’s HR/Medical Staff Services Consultant Laura Gifford helps physician organizations nationwide navigate the credentialing process. “Proper credentialing is vital to the success of an ASC,” Gifford says, “for instance, Medicare requires the right credentialing of physicians as a condition of reimbursement. It is also a critical element in meeting the reporting, audit and accreditation requirements of The Joint Commission.”
Gifford uses her deep expertise as she addresses the four challenges inherent in physician credentialing including the initial credentialing process, securing peer references, documenting a physician’s work history, and keeping credentials current.
For surgery centers, the key to success with physician credentialing lies in the diligent surfacing of required details, followed by careful tracking as those details evolve and change. In addition to continually tracking and updating credentials throughout the year, Gifford recommends engaging an outside expert to audit centers’ credentials records periodically. This assurance helps prepare the center for The Joint Commission Survey or accreditation review.
ASC leadership interested in more tips and recommendations for streamlining the physician credentialing process can download the full white paper here, or contact MedHQ to schedule a no-obligation credentials audit.