With great opportunity comes a great big pile of paperwork. The credentialing process can be quite daunting — oh, and if you make a mistake it could cause you to lose out on the locum tenens assignment you have your heart set on.
Healthcare organizations must ensure each practitioner is fully qualified and suitable for the assignment. We’ll walk you through the importance of credentialing, what’s involved, and how an agency can ease your burden as you work through the process.
Table of Contents
- Do Locum Tenens Need to Be Credentialed?
- 6 Insights Into the Locum Tenens Credentialing Policy
- FAQs About Locum Tenens Credentialing
- Let Trusted Locum Staffing Help Ensure Your Locum Tenens Credentialing Process Will Be Smoother Than Ever Before
Do Locum Tenens Need to Be Credentialed?
Locum tenens need to be credentialed in order to validate that they are fully qualified as a healthcare provider. Healthcare facilities have a duty to protect their patients and to deliver quality care, and hiring credentialed providers is a vital step.
The credentialing process includes confirming, through primary sources, various aspects of the provider’s background:
- Identification, and (in the case of non-US citizens) proof of authorization to work in the country — such as permanent residency or an H-1B visa
- Education, training, and any specialty certificates obtained
- Residency
- Board certification and licensing
- Career history
- Malpractice insurance
- Peer references
The team at Trusted Locum Staffing are experts in dealing with the credentialing process so you can become a locum tenens worker. Contact us today and we’ll put you on the road to getting hired.
6 Insights Into the Locum Tenens Credentialing Policy
You may have already done a lot of research into the life of a locum tenens worker and its benefits, but it’s also important to understand the credentialing process, or else your locum tenens assignment may never start.
While specific requirements vary depending on the healthcare organization and the type of assignment, there are a few aspects that are typically involved.
#1: Primary Source Verification
Your CV may be nicely updated, but the credentialling process requires that key items are validated directly with the primary source. This ensures your information is authentic and accurate, giving healthcare providers complete confidence in your achievements.
Primary source verification includes, for example, contacting each educational institution directly to confirm your details. You can also expect previous employers to be contacted to validate your job performance and that your privileges remain in good standing.
#2: Required Documents
Various documents will need to be provided in relation to your training and experience. The credentialing representative will use this information to guide their primary source verification process. Required documentation will include items like:
- Your updated CV
- Any change-of-name documentation, if applicable
- Your medical school diploma and proof of any additional training you have completed
- Documentation showing any residency or fellowship you have completed
- Board certifications and medical licenses
- Other certifications such as DEA certification, Basic Life Support, etc.
If you have a particular specialty, you’ll need to provide the associated documentation as well. For example, if you are seeking an assignment in pediatrics you may be required to confirm your pediatric advanced life support (PALS) and neonatal resuscitation program (NRP) certifications.
Incomplete or inaccurate paperwork is a top reason for delays and issues with credentialing, so take extra care to provide everything required.
#3: Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Keeping your CV updated is a vital part of locum tenens credentialing. Ensure all of your academic and personal achievements are clearly listed.
A great way to keep your CV current is to update it as soon as you complete an assignment or anything else that would be suitable to add. This will help ensure you don’t forget any details.
It is important your CV has no errors or typos. Also, ensure there are no discrepancies between your CV and any applications you fill out. If there are issues with your CV then it could add weeks of delay in your credentialing process.
#4: Mandated Medical Tests
Healthcare workers must be current with their vaccinations, not only for their protection but also for that of the patients they care for.
There are various vaccinations that need to be current as part of credentialling a locum tenens. Typically, these requirements include:
- Hepatitis B
- MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella)
- DTaP (diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis)
- Varicella (aka chickenpox)
- Meningococcal disease
- Influenza — annual vaccination
- COVID-19 (additional boosters may also be required)
A negative tuberculosis test result within the last year is also required to see if you have been exposed to TB.
Many healthcare organizations will require a drug screening to test for illegal drugs. There may also need to be certain examinations or tests to confirm your general physical condition.
#5: Foreign Status
Noncitizens cannot work in the United States without authorization. This means either being a permanent resident or holding a temporary worker visa. The “H-1B” visa category pertains to people with specialty occupations, which would apply to a healthcare provider.
For those who obtained their medical degree outside of the U.S., there is additional certification required.
The Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) is the governing body responsible for assessing whether or not the individual is ready to practice within the United States. ECFMG certification allows an individual to begin graduate-level medical education in the U.S. and is also a medical licensing requirement.
To obtain ECFMG certification, you will need to pass multiple exams to test your knowledge of basic medical sciences and clinical principles. Medical education credentials must be submitted and verified. In total, you can expect the process to take about two weeks.
#6: Professional Peer References
References are an important part of the credentialing process for locum tenens. Recommendations from your peers display your competency as a provider and also provide employers with insights into your character, values, and skill level.
Growing your professional network — and keeping in touch with them — will help you to have a list of people who can provide references for you. Make friends anywhere you can as your career continues.
Usually, at least three references are required, with at least two being from providers in the same specialty as you. Facilities also typically want to see recent references (in the last year or two). One way to keep up with references is to collect letters of recommendation as you complete work assignments.
Processes vary between healthcare facilities, so you may need other help from your references such as completing a form or answering some questions over the phone.
FAQs About Locum Tenens Credentialing
How Long Does It Take to Be Credentialed?
There are several steps involved in the credentialing process, and this takes time to complete. The total amount of time depends on a few factors:
- The requirements of the particular healthcare organization, and how responsive they are to processing submitted items
- How available, current, and accurate your documentation is
- How efficient your locum tenens agency is at working through paperwork, verification, and liaising with you and the healthcare organization
The process could take a few weeks, or it could take several months until credentialling is complete and clinical privileges are granted. Trusted Locum Staff works quickly and accurately to help you get credentialled quickly. Contact us today to get started.
How Long Is Locum Tenens Credentialing Valid?
Internal credentialling completed by a locum tenens agency is valid for two years and can be utilized for any assignments that are handled by the agency.
If you engage with another locum tenens agency, you will need to complete the internal credentialing process again. Often you can reuse your existing documentation, but it will need to be revalidated by the new agency.
External credentialling refers to the steps a healthcare organization completes to grant clinical privileges. External credentialling is only valid for the particular organization and does not apply to other assignments.
What Happens If I Fail to Credential as a Locum Tenens?
Credentialing ensures you are educated, certified, and licensed as a provider and there aren’t any concerns with your skills and past performance. If there are issues with your credentialling, a healthcare organization could be held liable in the case of a malpractice lawsuit.
To protect the organization and its patients, you won’t be granted clinical privileges until the credentialing process is complete.
If the process is not completed promptly, you may lose the locum tenens assignment altogether. In certain situations, with the right approvals, temporary privileging can be granted if there are no red flags in the paperwork.
Failures to credential successfully can harm your relationship with the organization and your agency, and it may also impact your professional reputation. Take care to keep your documentation updated and accurate, and have references that can give great feedback on your qualifications.
Could My Locum Tenens Credentialing Be Denied?
With so many touchpoints in the credentialing process, there are a number of ways that things can go wrong and you end up being denied. Here are some examples of problems that could result in denial:
- Incomplete or inaccurate information
- Licenses that are expired, under suspension, or have restrictions
- A history of malpractice, disciplinary actions, or other legal or performance issues
- Missing certifications or training that are required for the assignment
- Negative outcomes from professional reference checks
A locum tenens staffing agency provides dedicated expertise to ensure your application is accurate and to catch any potential issues with your documentation. Don’t be surprised by an issue that risks losing your locum tenens assignment.
Let Trusted Locum Staffing Help Ensure Your Locum Tenens Credentialing Process Will Be Smoother Than Ever Before
As you can see, the credentialing process is complex and there is no room for error. Delays or inaccuracies can harm your ability to practice as a locum tenens.
With the real risk to your finances and reputation, having a trusted partner to manage your credentialing is a wise choice.
Trusted Locum Staffing bridges the gap between you and your healthcare assignment. We streamline the credentialing process and make it as easy as possible for you to quickly obtain privileges for your assignment. Let’s get started today and get you hired.