Credentialing processes are generally outdated, burdensome and plagued with delays, according to a new survey on the state of today's medical credentialing processes.
The SkillSurvey survey of nearly 500 healthcare industry leaders was intended to discover the impact credentialing delays and inefficiencies have on a healthcare organization's bottom line. Notably, more than half of all U.S. states now recognize negligent credentialing as a reason for litigation against healthcare organizations, according to information from SkillSurvey.
"As our study shows, the traditional credentialing process is outdated and slow. While waiting to be fully credentialed, top medical talent sits on the bench, negatively affecting the hospital revenue cycle," Ray Bixler, president and CEO of SkillSurvey, said in a statement. "Our survey shows that one in three job applicants are not satisfied with their credentialing experience. Credentialing is long overdue for an upgrade."
Here are four additional survey findings.
1. Two in three credentialing processes (67 percent) are taking longer than five to six weeks to credential a clinician.
2. Sixty-two percent of respondents said it takes from one to three weeks for peer references to respond to traditional credentialing requests.
3. Half of respondents report it takes one to two weeks to verify a hospital affiliation.
4. Nine in 10 organizations believe it is critical to continue improving the applicant onboarding experience within the credentialing process.