Regulatory and accreditation bodies require healthcare institutions to obtain peer references during the credentialing process to validate applicants’ current clinical competence. Created to comply with Joint Commission standards, this confidential peer review reference form captures the reference’s relationship with the practitioner undergoing credentialing, as well as his or her knowledge of the applicant’s skills.

Published 6/20/18

One of MSPs’ most important duties is educating others regarding the processes and the status of the work that lies before the medical staff office (MSO). This includes communication throughout the organization and involves MSO staff, physician leadership, and senior management. Without effective communication, the MSO functions in a vacuum. This may sound basic—and to MSOs that effectively communicate, it is—but from time to time an organization’s senior management, physician leadership, or both are uninformed on operations of the MSO, and there is a lack of recorded metrics to measure workloads and the statuses of work being performed.      

Published 6/18/18

The difference between being accredited as a hospital or as an outpatient center can mean a difference of thousands of dollars in revenue when billing Medicare. And if you are a smaller, specialty hospital or an outlying facility that is part of a larger health system, be prepared: CMS and other surveyors will expect proof that you meet the requirements for being surveyed as a hospital and not as some other type of provider.

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