Question: We have sent questionnaires to other hospitals in the past, then after appointment, information comes to light that we wish we had during credentialing.  In initial credentialing, what should hospitals do as senders of questionnaires?

Answer: Questionnaires should be carefully worded to capture all the information the hospital and its physician leaders reasonably believe to be helpful to assess qualifications.  Asking about whether the applicant has been the subject of an investigation is not likely to result in information about letters of guidance, letters of reprimand, performance improvement plans, or focused professional practice evaluations.  If there is a certain kind of information that is relevant to your decision-making, it should be reflected in the request for information.

For example:

“Timely, comprehensive and legible completion of medical records:
No concerns___  Some concerns___  Unable to assess___”

could be added to your evaluation form.

Always remember to hold an application incomplete until all reference requests are received, remember that the burden is on the applicant to provide the requested information, and remember not to process incomplete applications!