NAMES IN THE NEWS

AAAHC Publishes Toolkit for Credentialing and Privileging

JULY 2023

The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) of Deerfield, Illinois, has released a newly updated and enhanced Credentialing and Privileging Toolkit. The new resource is designed to demystify and provide guidance on the design and implementation of an effective credentialing and privileging process, according to a release.

“The updated toolkit serves as a guide for all healthcare organizations that need to establish or reengineer their credentialing and privileging program,” said Julie Lynch, director of the AAAHC Institute for Quality Improvement, in the release. “These are meticulously outlined processes that healthcare organizations must implement to establish and validate the services, procedures and treatments different providers may perform. These processes demonstrate the organization’s dedication to ensure their providers have the education, training and experience necessary to provide quality patient care and ensure patient safety.”

Current and prospective AAAHC clients from both primary care and surgical/procedural organizations can use the tool to help them evaluate and/or establish efficient and standardized credentialing and privileging processes, according to the release. Highlights include definitions of responsibilities and roles, insight into appropriate workflow and checklists required, and information on special circumstances to consider, which may vary by organization type.

Content also addresses who does and does not need to be credentialed and privileged, who performs the process, and detailed steps on how to begin the process.

“The Credentialing and Privileging Toolkit serves as our guide in navigating the evolving landscape of healthcare, ensuring that only qualified practitioners with demonstrated expertise and experience are granted the privilege to deliver care,” said Noel Adachi, president and chief executive officer of AAAHC, in the release. “With the updated toolkit, we can demonstrate the ‘1095 Strong, quality every day’ philosophy and emphasize the importance of quality practices and client readiness throughout the 1,095 days of the accreditation cycle.”

Learn more about the various AAAHC toolkits.