News roundup Oct. 12-16

The Credentialing Resource Center’s annual MSP Salary Survey measures the compensation rates, essential duties, and other workplace trends shaping the careers of MSPs across the industry. The 2020 edition features new and improved questions and response options, developed with input from MSPs working in credentialing environments ranging from acute care hospitals and ambulatory centers to CVOs and health plans.

Click here to take the 2020 MSP Salary Survey today to make sure your professional experiences are represented. The more responses we have, the more meaningful (and actionable) the data will be in the special reports we release for both CRC members and non-members.

Beyond receiving copies of the reports, to show our thanks for taking the survey, we will select one person at random to recieve free on-demand access to the 2020 Credentialing Resource Center Virtual Event.

Convinced? Click the following link to take the 2020 MSP Salary Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KFCBM6L.

Physicians may claim that the data used to carry out peer review is invalid. This is a claim that many medical staff leaders have heard. It is true that the discovery of even the slightest inaccuracy will invalidate the entire performance report in the minds of some physicians. They will assume, and no one would blame them, that if the report includes one inaccuracy it is likely that there are addi­tional inaccuracies. The problem is that data are often imperfect, and waiting for perfect data may be an impossibly long wait. It is imperative, however, that data be as accurate as possible.

In order to consider a change to core privileges, you should first examine the privilege delineation system currently in place at your organization. Most likely you will find many examples to bolster your case for a conversion to a criteria-based core privileging system. Areas that you want to evaluate include the following.

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating healthcare access issues for rural America, resulting in negative health consequences for people who haven't been able to get medical care when they need it.

According to CMS, a hospital, “must have an effective governing body legally responsible for the conduct of the hospital as an institution. If a hospital does not have an organized governing body, the persons legally responsible for the conduct of the hospital must carry out the functions specified in this part that pertain to the governing body.” (CoP 482.12) A hospital’s governing body or board is charged with overseeing all aspects of the hospital, from patient care to medical staff credentialing and privileging.

Most states recognize a hospital’s duty to exercise reasonable care in granting privileges. Although the hospital is not automatically liable for a practitioner’s negligence, it can be held liable for negligent credentialing if the determination is made that a plaintiff’s injury would not have occurred had the hospital exercised due care in granting privileges.Hospital administration and governance must closely monitor the work completed by MSPs.

The Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (HCQIA) enumerates components to ensure procedural fairness. The first principle of fairness concerns adequate notice of a hearing, which was explored in last month’s article; such a notice must conform to time frames laid out in the HCQIA. The second principle of fairness addresses the opportunity to be heard before an impartial body. It is, therefore, very important that the bylaws address clearly who may participate on a hearing panel and how the participants will be chosen.