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Credentialing
Compliance
Increasing healthcare staff retention is a top priority for many organizations. Unfortunately, it’s one that is not easily solved.
One in three public health employees indicated an intent to leave their organization within the next year. Losing staff means losing money as you face:
- Increased acquisition costs
- Cost of integrating new staff
- A loss of culture
- The risk of more employees leaving
- Reduced billing capacity
Provider credentialing presents a great opportunity to increase healthcare staff retention.
How Credentialing Impacts Staff Retention
You’re probably frustrated if you feel like someone is wasting your time, or if a process is taking longer than if you went somewhere else, right?
That’s exactly how providers feel when they are waiting to start practicing at your facility.
They are losing money every day they wait for Primary Source Verifications (PSV), payer enrollments, or privileging to be completed. They’re taking note when the process is unorganized or sloppy. By quickly and efficiently credentialing providers, they are generally more satisfied, reducing the likelihood of leaving. And less staff turnover ultimately benefits your facility’s financial health.
WEBINAR: How Credentialing Influences Staff Retention
3 Ways To Use Credentialing To Improve Healthcare Staff Retention
1. Give Providers Confidence in Your Organization
Expediting the credentialing process relies on a centralized and streamlined system for managing documents and tracking provider information. There are hundreds of details to track and using emails, notes, and spreadsheets is almost a guarantee you will misplace information or as a provider for the same information twice.
- Use an online system where you can upload documents and track each action – don’t forget to log call reference numbers when you speak with a payer!
- Ensure your data is accurate, protected, and updatable.
- Simplify communication with providers and offer secure document uploading to an online portal.
- Create easy-to-read, color-coded reports to avoid asking providers for duplicate information.
2. Engage Providers as Soon as Possible
Integrating credentialing into your onboarding process will streamline the provider’s experience, kick start the credentialing process, and reduce administrative burdens. Providers will appreciate the smooth transition and be more likely to remain at your facility, increasing healthcare staff retention.
Your onboarding process starts as soon as the provider accepts the position. As part of your welcome communications and new hire paperwork – long before the provider’s start date – ask for the information you’ll need to start the credentialing process.
- Ask for all documentation at once so providers aren’t dealing with a constant stream of requests.
- Automate the onboarding workflow by provider type to save yourself time and keep your process consistent.
- Identify the documentation that is needed for both HR and credentialing – and don’t duplicate asks!
- Send a complete list of required training (including recertifications like BLS) so the provider has ample time for completion.
- Be clear about your expectations and timeframes. Don’t hesitate to be firm about deadlines!
3. Get Providers in Front of Patients Faster
Providers who are able to start seeing patients at a new facility in a timely manner are more likely to stay at that facility – and recommend it to others. The faster the physician is earning, the faster your facility is earning. Sometimes that means you might need some help. This can come in the form of specialized software, outsourcing tasks, or hiring additional staff to manage the process. Here are some ideas to make the business case for additional credentialing resources:
- Reminder leaders of the costs of a provider sitting idle, including their base salary, variable compensation/equity, and lost billable hours.
- Demonstrate that credentialing is a developed skill set for a full-time professional.
- Explain how long each part of the credentialing process will take so expectations are set around other tasks that may not be done, or delays that may be encountered.
Streamline Your Credentialing Process
In the competitive landscape of the healthcare industry, optimizing your credentialing process can make a significant difference in staff retention and your organization’s bottom line. By better organizing your documents, integrating credentialing into your onboarding process, and seeking help when necessary, you can ensure that your providers are satisfied, engaged, and productive team members.
A platform like MedTrainer is instrumental in increasing healthcare staff retention through a streamlined credentialing process. Here’s how:
Centralized Platform for Credentialing and Compliance
MedTrainer’s all-in-one platform puts all your credentialing documents, tasks, and verifications in one place where it is easy to see the status and identify issues. You can easily track and monitor the progress of new hires throughout the entire process and providers can access their onboarding materials and complete credentialing tasks simultaneously, ensuring a smooth transition into their new roles.
Automated Workflows for Smooth Onboarding
MedTrainer’s platform offers automated workflows and task management features that remove your administrative burden and keep the process moving forward. Physicians can upload their documents directly to the MedTrainer platform, and reminder emails are automated. Plus create customized onboarding programs to ensure all documents and policies are acknowledged and required trainings are completed.
Put Your Credentialing Process in Safe Hands
With MedTrainer Credentialing Services, specialists will manage your credentialing needs regardless of your provider count or in which state providers are working. The consistency provided by the MedTrainer team means that you never have to worry about the chaos that comes when an in-house credentialer leaves the organization.