The Basics

This standard requires that your organization recredential every participating provider no less frequently than every three years.

The reason for the existence of this standard is that some credentials expire.  For those that do, the organization must check to see that they are still valid.  Therefore, this recredentialing process is not quite as complete as initial credentialing.

The "clock" for the three years required by the standard starts on the date of the approval of the credentialing application.  For example, if approval of an application by the committee or senior clinical staff person takes place on August 5, 2008, recredentialing must occur by no later than August 5, 2011.

Management Tips

Note that the recredentialing process requires that you present the application for recredentialing to the credentialing committee whether or not there are issues to discuss.  However, you need not reverify those credentials that do not expire or change over time.  An example of such credentials is education.

URAC Accreditation Tips

The standard has a weight of 4, and its only element is secondary.

Documentation at the desktop review phase should include both the credentialing plan, outlining the recredentialing process, and a sample of your credentialing committee minutes that includes approval of the recredentialing applications.

The on-site review, in addition to the review of credentialing files, will include an examination of credentialing committee minutes and an interview with credentialing department management and staff members.