Provider Credentialing Adaptations for COVID-19 Hint at Healthcare’s Future

April 1, 2021
April 1, 2021

According Vicki Searcy, Vice President, Consulting Services, at VerityStream, “Today’s adaptations and new procedures being established in provider credentialing are likely tomorrow’s business as usual.” And, she adds, the rapid changes coming now will likely lead to long-term evolution not only in the credentialing process, but all across healthcare.

Embracing Telehealth More Strongly

“Patients and providers alike are going to be more embracing of telehealth services,” she predicts. “And organizations, once they have experienced the fact that you don’t all have to get together physically to have a meeting, that it can be done effectively from wherever people are by using technology, will be reluctant to go back to old ways of doing things. Some people who are being forced to work remotely now will see the advantages of that and will want to incorporate that into their job once the crisis is over.”

Automation Works Locally and Long Distance

And, she offerss, credentialing and privileging can be easily adapted to those likely long-distance workflows as well. “We’ve already got functionality that allows not only the automation of obtaining the information about licensure and so forth, we also have automation on the decision-making process,” she says. “I could be sitting in California and have a department chair on the East Coast on the phone, and that department chair is able to sign on, look at what he or she needs to look at and make a decision. That whole process has been automated and it allows people to move quickly but still keep the business of healthcare and credentialing and privileging moving. With the use of our software, it’s why you would easily be able to automate a credentials committee and to be able to hold it virtually because everything that you need to make decisions is available electronically.”

This blog post continues a series of excerpts from the VerityStream article, “An Upside Down World: Pandemic Creates Process Challenges and Opportunities for Licensure and Credentialing.” The article also covers:

  • Provider Support has a can-do spirit
  • Telehealth plays prominent role in new reality
  • Keeping processes effective, but uncomplicated, will be essential
  • Patient outcomes should drive “in the moment” decision-making

PLEASE NOTE: The information in the article excerpted here was considered current at the time of its publishing. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is an ever-evolving disaster due to new findings, data, and availability of resources. Please refer to the CDC website for the latest detailed information when you need it.

In the midst of continual healthcare change some things stay the same, like the need for comprehensive provider credentialing, privileging, and enrollment processes. In today’s value-based environment, operational efficiency is critical. Conducting manual verifications, completing paper forms by hand or taking time to deliver files to various locations across the hospital or the system is not cost-effective. Learn more about making VerityStream your comprehensive provider solutions partner.