MSPs: Resist pressures to shortcut credentialing

No matter how much you’ve streamlined processes and educated colleagues, someone will probably still ask you to ignore or skip parts of the process. In these cases, MSPs need to stand their ground.  

“I believe you can absolutely say, ‘No, I won’t do it. Don’t ask me to do it,’ ” says Terry Wilson, BS, CPMSM, CPCS, director of medical staff services at Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine, Florida. “Our job is to do the credentialing process right.”

Standing your ground takes courage, especially for new MSPs who may feel intimidated by the person making the request. When possible, point to the policies that guide you. The organization’s bylaws and policies outline the credentialing process from start to finish. Use them as the basis of your argument.

“You can say, ‘Here are the bylaws that you created and you collectively agreed to follow. Now you’re asking me not to follow it. I can’t do that—it’s my job to follow the bylaws,’ ” Wilson says.

If the requestor continues to push, follow the lines of authority, suggests Wilson. Go to your immediate supervisor and ask him or her to speak with the individual. If your immediate supervisor is the requester, go up to his or her boss. If an inappropriate request comes from the very top, work down the chain. These can be uncomfortable conversations, but at the end of the day, you do not want to do something that you know is unethical or against policies.

Also remember that if you are a member of the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS), the Code of Professional Conduct (https://www.namss.org/Membership/EthicsResourcesCodeofConduct.aspx) is a resource that can guide you to do the right thing when faced with an ethical dilemma. “We agree to adhere to this code, and that gives us strength and position,” says Linda Waldorf, BS, CPMSM, CPCS, director of the central credentialing office at the University of North Carolina Healthcare System in Chapel Hill.

Managers and directors should always empower MSSD staff to speak up to physicians or other leadership in a professional manner. “I let them know that I will stand behind them 100% as long as the intent is to do the right thing, and they handled themselves in the right manner,” Wilson says.

Source: News & Analysis