Everything seems to take longer in a world dominated by short attention spans and instant access. However, physician credentialing is objectively a long process, often taking up to 120 days to complete.
There are a variety of reasons the credentialing process takes so long...let's take a look at them.
Application
Physicians need to submit all of their documentation to kick the process off. If the forms and processes aren't user friendly, this process can take a huge chunk of time. Further delays often happen if a physician misses documentation or forgets to fill in certain details.
Verification
Once the application is submitted, a credentialing team needs to verify what the physician submitted against primary sources to verify education, state licenses, federal licenses, work histories, and more. Many of these verifications are manual, involving a laborious process of logging into separate systems and comparing inconsistent documents.
Coordination
Once verification is complete, coordination must happen between multiple internal and external organizations. Key stakeholders manage these relationships over email. Let's face it, that means physicians, credentialing specialists, and board members will miss important details.
Regulatory Compliance
Like all things in healthcare, the entire credentialing process also involves a component of compliance...and for good reason. Patient safety begins with physician quality, and The Joint Commission and NCQA want to ensure that. However, it adds complexity and time to the credentialing process.
Documentation Issues
Documentation only partially filled out, inaccurate, or inconsistent leads to further delays. Minor errors can set off a chain of events that require physicians and credentialing staff hours of back-and-forth communication. This further delays the entire process.