Low-volume practitioners pose credentialing challenges

In a recent HCPro survey, nearly a quarter of respondents cited credentialing low-volume practitioners as their biggest priority or area of concern. The main challenge with assessing the competency of low- and no-volume practitioners is getting enough relevant data. Because these practitioners don't practice at hospitals regularly, there is a lack of performance data needed to assess their competency. "You can't get data when there is no data," says Kathy Matzka, CPMSM, CPCS, a medical staff consultant in Lebanon, Illinois.

If a low- or no-volume practitioner is on staff at another hospital and working there, getting relevant data can be as easy as reaching out to the other facility with the appropriate consent and release forms, Matzka says.Some hospitals have bylaws requirements for a minimum volume in order to maintain medical staff appointment, she says. Instead of tying these minimum requirements to medical staff appointment categories, it may make more sense to tie them to clinical privileges.

"Although a practitioner may be a low- or no-volume practitioner, all of his or her patients may be admitted to the hospital, so that practitioner will want to have a say in medical staff policies and procedures and be able to vote on bylaws, serve on committees, etc."