When adding staff members to your team - regardless of whether it is a clinical or support staff position - it is important that the hiring process includes a through and standardized credentialing process.
Posted in Risk Management on Thursday, December 1, 2016
When hiring staff members at your dental practice, are you going beyond the interview to credential them?
You want, and need, to hire the most competent individuals available in order to protect the safety of your patients and staff, along with the profitability and longevity of your practice.
Therefore, when adding staff members to your team – regardless of the whether it is a clinical or support staff position – it is important that the hiring process includes a thorough and standardized credentialing process.
This means that in addition to making sure potential candidates meet your needs and have the personality you are seeking, that they also have the appropriate credentials.
A thorough and standardized hiring process should involve a review of candidate credentials, including:
Education and training programs
- Are the programs accredited?
- Are transcripts available to confirm completion?
Work history
- Have candidates had steady employment in limited locations?
- Have you confirmed their professional references?
Professional licenses
- Are license(s) and professional certifications valid and up-to-date?
- Have licenses been checked with the state board for suspensions, revocations, disciplinary actions or complaints?
Additional credentialing questions you may want to review before hiring a candidate include:
- Has a criminal background check been performed?
- If applicable, have candidates, for your benefit, requested a report from the National Practitioner Data Bank?
- If applicable, have candidates requested and presented loss runs from prior insurance carriers?
Remember, credentialing does not stop once an individual has been hired.
Annually, your credentialing review process should include:
- Performance evaluations and if necessary, an update of job descriptions.
- Documentation for continued training such as OSHA Compliance, HIPAA Compliance and other required training necessary for your office consistent with federal and state regulations.
- Confirmation of completion of continuing education to maintain licenses/certifications.
- Renewal of licenses/certifications.
- Confirmation of any professional liability insurance the individual is carrying.