• September 25, 2024
• | Credentialing

Transitioning to Credentialing Software: Essential Prep for a Seamless Onboarding Experience

By Noah Lam, Technical Data Manager at Modio Health, and Sunder Aware, MHA, Manager, Project Management Office at Modio Health

You’re on the verge of choosing a new credentialing software for your practice — congratulations! This is a big step toward smoother operations and a more efficient workflow. To help you transition seamlessly and start this new chapter in provider management, we’ve outlined the key steps you should take. Now, let’s help you to transition smoothly from your current tool to a new software — and start a new chapter in credentialing management. Now, let’s help you to transition smoothly from your current tool to a new software — and start a new chapter in credentialing management.

Step-by-step guide to credentialing software implementation

Your daily credentialing tasks are critically important, so here are seven steps to make the move to a new platform as quick and seamless as possible:

1. Meet your vendor’s project manager.

Your credentialing vendor should match you with a project manager (PM) who brings personalized support, expertise in the platform, and experience with many different client needs. Expect to have a kickoff call with your PM, followed by regular syncs to keep the implementation on track.

2. Assess your current state.

Define where you’re starting and where you want to go so everyone is on the same page. Make sure to identify:

• Provider population size and onboarding goals
• Scope and availability of providers’ credentialing data
• Current paper forms used (e.g., payor, onboarding, DOPs, facility)
• Credentialing focus (e.g., payor enrollments vs. affiliation cycles)
• Any known deadlines

3. Identify and align key players. 

Implementation involves lots of moving parts. Identify and align staff who will lead or support the effort — including leadership, credentialing teams, and other teams impacted by the transition. Make sure to cover these roles:

• Internal project manager to serve as the main point of contact and keep the implementation moving forward. Your internal PM should ensure timely decision-making, help gather deliverables, and facilitate questions from your vendor.
• Subject matter experts to help define the workflows, answer any data-related questions and ensure you’re set up for success. These SMEs should attend the kickoff call and subsequent syncs. 
• A change champion who can promote and support the change, as well as provide guidance and assistance during implementation and transition.  
• Other decision-makers who can answer questions about your data or know where to direct these questions. 

Clearly defined roles help you speed up decision-making and quickly handle any issues that pop up. You want to have a point person who can answer questions like: “Are we importing both your active and inactive providers?” or “If your providers are missing specialty data, can we use a placeholder, or would you like to provide an updated dataset?” 

4. Identify the data points you need to track.

Gathering the right data is critical to expediting the implementation process and getting the most from your new tool.

• Decide what’s essential, nice-to-have, or unneeded. Include all necessary data points for applications or reports not currently in your dataset. Inform your vendor if certain values shouldn’t be transferred to the new tool or if your data contains outdated or incorrect information. 
• Consider any external stakeholders. Identify anyone who may need data access.
• Tell your vendor if you’re switching from another software. They need to know early on so that they can gather a backup file.

5. Collect, audit, and clean your data.

You can address any issues and ensure a smooth import process by:

• Collecting all data in one place. Create a storage system, like a zip folder, and ensure that the copy your vendor receives for implementation is the final version you want to see in the platform. 
• Auditing your data. Submitting an incomplete dataset initially and then adding data later can extend your timeline. To avoid delays, audit your data and ensure you provide the complete dataset from the start.
• Cleaning your data. If your data is complex or messy, make it as clear and organized as possible. Your vendor’s analysts should clean and sanitize the data, but your help is crucial. Provide keys for coded data, fill in gaps, and ensure you hand off the final version to streamline the implementation process.
• Documenting your data process. Detailed documentation will speed up the import process and ensure data integrity. Clearly explain your storage choices, like color-coding or multiple spreadsheets, with providers. This clarity helps us address formatting issues, inconsistencies, duplicates, and inaccuracies effectively.

6. Prepare sample data for your kickoff call. 

Sharing even a small portion of your credentialing data with your vendor early on will help them nail down the right data import processes and handle any conflicts or presentation issues. If your data is in a spreadsheet, have it ready to send to your vendor after the kickoff.  Once your vendor receives your data, they should review it for accuracy to ensure as much of your data as possible is imported into the new tool. Some data points might need adjustment or translation, especially if they don’t fit directly into the platform. Providing detailed context and being available to answer your vendor’s questions will help streamline this process.

7. Prepare your team for change. 

Every software implementation involves change management, including credentialing platforms. Embracing new processes will streamline setup, support adoption, and enhance your new tool’s effectiveness.

• Communicate early and often. Notify your team a few weeks or months ahead of time about the upcoming change and continue to remind them. 
• Use your vendor’s training resources. Find out if your team can access videos, tip guides, and other resources to get familiar with the platform and find answers to their questions.
• Stay flexible. Some things may look different than what your team is used to. Flexibility and patience will go a long way as your team navigates a new platform. 

Want to know more?Check out second piece around most frequently asked questions about implementing a new credentialing platform.

We’re here to help.Are you curious about your options for credentialing software? We’d be happy to chat. Get in touch with us today!