• July 10, 2024
• | Credentialing

Summer is the perfect time to freshen up your back-office operations and set your practice up for success through the end of the year. Here are four steps you can take to improve your provider credentialing process, starting today:

1. Stop drowning in paperwork: Use automation to simplify credentialing tasks

Is it time to modernize your practice? While the healthcare sector has come so far with provider credentialing technology, relying on manual credentialing processes keeps your team stuck in the past.

Automation simplifies credentialing and lifts the burden off your team. Automating the credentialing process can save $29,000 annually for physicians and about 23 hoursof time spent annually completing credentialing forms per physician. Providers who use credentialing software can focus more on patient care and less on administrative tasks, boosting productivity and overall job satisfaction.

Transitioning your practice to credentialing software can be easier than you think. Opt for a solution that includes free ongoing training and robust human support, including access to an account manager who helps your team during the entire tech implementation process. These must-haves will drive effective adoption and usage, so you can get the most from your credentialing software.

2. Systematize and conquer: Standardize your credentialing process to reduce errors and delays

Standardization is key to minimizing administrative errors and preventing delays in provider practice permissions. With a structured framework for credentialing, you increase efficiency and data accuracy.

Adopt a systematic approach, from initial application through verification and approval. Implement clear guidelines and consistent workflows to ensure that every step adheres to established protocols.

Your practice will benefit from fewer bottlenecks and timely completion of credentialing tasks. Ultimately, providers can start practicing sooner and bring more value to care delivery.

3. Beat the staffing squeeze: Partner with external credentialing teams for seamless coverage

Most busy medical practices need all the support they can get, especially when it comes to critical processes like provider credentialing.

Consider partnering with external credentialing teams, like Modio Health’s Extended Credentialing Services, to augment your team. External partners provide supplementary support without replacing your internal staff, offering peace of mind and maintaining continuity in credentialing processes.

Bringing in outside support helps ensure seamless coverage during staff shortages or vacations. External partners also handle additional workload demands, allowing your team to focus on core responsibilities.

By leveraging external expertise, medical practices can keep credentialing processes on track, while balancing fluctuating workloads. This collaboration enhances operational resilience, resulting in smoother workflows and improved service delivery.

4. Build bridges: Enhanced communication and collaboration drive credentialing success

Lay a strong foundation for successful credentialing by enhancing communication and collaboration among your team.

If you’re not already doing so, implement regular team training. Ongoing training ensures that your team knows the latest guidelines and state mandates, fostering consistency and compliance.

To make sure everyone is on the same page, establish detailed practice procedures. These standards create clarity and uniformity in credentialing processes, reducing errors and delays.

Finally, consider participating in conferences, like the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) and HIMSS. These industry-wide gatherings help your team stay on top of the latest trends and best practices, while networking with others in the field.

Final thoughts

Today could be the day your practice starts to overcome medical credentialing hurdles. You might be surprised to see how much progress you can make in just a few weeks when you find the right credentialing partner.

Modio offers provider credentialing software and external credentialing teams to support your practice. Get in touch.