The following is an overview of how we keep our facility partners and IntelyPros safe through our extremely thorough and best-in-industry credentialing process. Below you’ll find the answers to questions about how we protect our facility partners, what credentials we collect and review from our IntelyPros and why, and how we go above and beyond to ensure that our IntelyPros are continuously compliant.
Process
1. What is Credentialing?
Credentialing is the process of gathering and verifying the credentials of a licensed professional to ensure compliance with standards set forth by the verifying organization. This process is regularly performed in hospitals, clinics, medical groups, and healthcare facilities in addition to the regular human resources hiring process. The process itself is unique at each facility, but the credentialing standards are consistent across the industries as they are set forth by CMS, Joint Commission and state/local regulatory bodies.
Throughout the credentialing process, it is important to re-create a provider’s professional history since completion of professional educational program(s). This assists the reviewer in identifying any gaps in training, work history, etc.
2. What documents are requested and why?
Facilities verify a professional license to perform services with the State Boards, certifications, and registrations, and will query various sanction databases (State Board sanction site, Office of Inspector General (OIG), Systems Award Management (SAM), State Medicaid sanction databases, and the National Practitioner Databank (NPDB).
State Work Licenses – this verifies the State Board of Licensing has done their review and allowed a professional to work in their state as a Licensed, Certified, or Registered professional. Each State Board handles its licensing review uniquely.
Personal Identification Information – This is to confirm your identity and eligibility to work within the United States (I-9, background checks).
Queries on Sanction Reporting Databases – Medicare & Medicaid Sanction Reports (queried with the Office of Inspector General), Systems Award Management, State Sex Offender registries, and State Board Sanction Websites. Running these checks frequently and consistently helps identify any past, current or ongoing history of sanctions against a license or the professional’s practice of healthcare. We run these at hire and at least monthly to ensure we are compliant with federal, state and local regulatory bodies.
3. Why does IntelyCare request more documentation compared to other organizations?
IntelyCare is a leading best practice organization and helps to ensure the facilities are staffing with high quality nurses in a best practice care model. IntelyCare and its clinical team opts to choose the safest and most restrictive requirements by state and facility to ensure we are providing high quality nurses and care in our contracted facilities across the United States.
4. How long does it take to process and request a background check?
Generally, background checks are completed 24 – 72 hours from our request date. However, background checks are a component managed by each local regulatory agency (county, state, and federal agencies). Although we have seen delays in processing the completed reviews due to staffing challenges at these agencies, IntelyCare has contracted with several vendors across our active states to assist with the timely processing of those checks.
5. How long will it be before I am able to start a shift?
Once each of the required documents is reviewed and approved, you can be working or able to sign up for your first shift within 3 days of a complete profile submission. Please remember our Credentials team reviews the documentation on file to ensure compliance with state, local and federal laws and facility requirements, if any.
Credentials
1. Why does IntelyCare ask for each of the credentials?
IntelyCare vets each of our IntelyPros to ensure full compliance with federal, state and local regulations, accreditation bodies, and facility requirements. Each of the required documents is necessary to complete each step in the onboarding process and credentials verification.
2. Why does IntelyCare ask for more documentation than other organizations?
IntelyCare uses a best practice approach to ensure our IntelyPros are more than fully vetted before they sign up for a shift at one of our contracted facility partners. It is our responsibility to ensure compliance. Our partners look to us for our high quality IntelyPros. There is an intense amount of scrutiny placed on a facility by regulatory bodies given the populations they care for are among the most vulnerable of patients. In addition to our requirements, we work with each facility to determine the specific scope of documents required for their contracted staff.
3. Does IntelyCare help me maintain my certifications?
Yes! IntelyCare has created what we call a Credential Passport, for your use, to maintain your documentation in one place. You can access the Credential Passport throughout your career going forward. Our credentialing team will reach out to you when your work license and certifications are set to expire so that nothing you need to practice will ever be out of date.
4. Can I share my documents I have saved at IntelyCare with other facilities?
Using IntelyCare’s Credential Passport, your documents can be shared to other facilities with a touch of a button. You have the ability to send a secure PDF file of your documents directly to the facility.
5. What is OIG/SAM Check? Why am I being checked against Medicare when I have never billed or worked with Medicare?
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) and CMS require us to perform these queries on a regular basis to ensure our staff is not listed on their exclusion list. A person can be listed for reasons including criminal activity, fraud and even defaulting on a student loan. Until those are cleared, you may be barred from hire.
6. How often am I checked/queried?
Based on compliance requirements, our queries can happen at least on a monthly basis to ensure continued compliance with our requirements and the facility requirements.
Compliance
1. What happens when my license expires?
IntelyCare will send out a reminder of your expired license at least 60 days in advance of expiration, as well as at 30 days. It is a regulatory requirement to have an active license AT ALL TIMES in order to be eligible for shifts at one of our facilities.
2. If my license expires, is there a grace period to renew?
Each state handles their renewals uniquely. It is important to act on your license renewal as soon as possible (and well before the due date) to ensure timely processing. Most state boards will send out one reminder 60 days before your expiration with access to their online portal. You should determine whether or not your state does/does requires updated fingerprints and/or attestation of completed CEUs to ensure complete renewal.
3. Will IntelyCare remove me from shifts if a credential/license expires?
Yes, if your license is expired, you are no longer able to work according to state regulations. However, we will work with you ahead of your expiration date so there are no lapses in your participation with IntelyCare.
Stay up to date on info, tips, and stories from your fellow IntelyPros! And don’t miss out on key resources we share on our socials!