Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1544291
12 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING 3 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING The future of credentialing: strategies + tactics Verifying provider identities and qualifications continues to be a challenge for hospitals and health systems. Some healthcare leaders believe the ideal solution would be a nationally standardized approach to provider licensing and a centralized source of truth for provider credentialing information. With the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, some progress has been made on standardizing provider licenses across states. However, achieving a national system for credentialing information is unlikely without establishing governing bodies. In the interim, the best path forward for healthcare organizations is applying credentialing technology solutions. John explained that although credentialing is complicated, it's not complex. As a result, technology is well-suited for automating workflows and retrieving provider licenses more rapidly. To ensure that credentialing technology investments deliver measurable value, John and Dr. Heath recommend that organizations first articulate their goals and desired outcomes. Key focus areas may include cost cutting, error reduction or risk minimization when bringing new providers into a hospital or health system. "Credentialing outcomes can be defined and measured quite easily," Dr. Heath said. "The goal is for the process to be as fast and accurate as possible. I would focus on how long it takes to credential a file from start to finish and the time required for each step." Next, it's important to identify current metrics related to credentialing and the desired targets. Metrics can help show whether credentialing solutions are increasing revenue, decreasing costs or lowering system risk. "Many times, when we engage with healthcare organizations, they aren't sure where there are inefficiencies in their credentialing because they don't have a baseline to understand the issues and what improvement looks like," John said. More healthcare organizations are recognizing the value of standardizing and modernizing their credentialing processes. By using technology-based solutions like Modio, hospitals and health systems are reducing the provider burden associated with credentialing, while ensuring newly hired clinicians can deliver care sooner. The results are increased revenue, higher levels of staffing capacity and expanded patient access. "Credentials are critical for patient safety and risk mitigation in healthcare organizations," John said. "With the right focus and investment, we may eventually get to a seamless, national process — until then, we can improve the process by leaps and bounds with technology. There's lots of room for improvement, and we're getting there a step at a time." Modio Health is the industry leader in helping healthcare organizations operate more efficiently, so providers can spend less time on red tape and more time on patient care. Our platform, OneView®, gives hospitals, credentialing departments, and group practices a secure, real-time way to share and verify provider records, dramatically shortening credentialing times and reducing administrative burden. Keep your team in compliance while providers stay focused on quality care.