How to Credential a Health Care Provider

A lot of organizations and healthcare agencies run healthcare credentialing in order to make sure that the practitioners registered under them are appropriately qualified to provide medical attention to their clients. These credentials depend on the provider's area of expertise. For instance, a general physician will have a different credentialing form as opposed to an X-ray technician.

Instructions

• 1

  Inquire with local channels about your health care provider's training and experience. There are several venues through which you can obtain information about a physician or any other provider you want to credential. If this is a private practitioner, his office will be able to provide you with basic information about his training and expertise. Nurses and other health care providers can be credentialed through the hospital where they are employed.

• 2

  Call the local hospital for information about the healthcare practitioner. Contact your local hospital where the provider is on staff. The information assistance department for the hospital can provide you with the data that you need to find out more about the doctor you intend to consult with.

• 3

  Ask your HMO. Some physicians are affiliated with an HMO. If you're looking to consult with a doctor under your health insurance plan, you can contact your insurance provider for credentialing information.

• 4

  Licensing boards and local health organizations can also provide you with information. The licensing boards can inform you about disciplinary actions that a physician or any other healthcare provider may have been served with. There are also online organizations that can steer you in the right direction for credentialing a physician through licensing boards. Find a link in the Resources section for a head start.

• 5

  Go through government sources. Most states offer searchable online databases for researching licensures and other medical credentials or punitive actions. However, the information varies across different states. Some provide summaries on disciplinary actions while others offer extensive documentation.

• 6

  Look through consumer websites where people post comments about their doctors. A good way to find out if a physician is any good is by going over user testimonials about him or her. A lot of patients usually post comments on their experiences consulting with doctors. When enough people provide comments on a particular healthcare provider, the site usually generates an overall rating for his services.

• 7

  You can also pay for comprehensive reports. If you're interested in a particular physician and you want to know more about his services, you can also pay a fee to obtain comprehensive reports. In-depth reports can cost you about $10 to $15, though, so you might want to do this only if you're looking up a specialist.