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Physician Contract Glossary · Regulatory & Compliance

Credentialing and Privileging

Credentialing verifies your qualifications and privileging grants you the specific clinical authority to practice at a facility, both required before you can bill.

Credentialing is the process by which hospitals and payers verify your education, training, board status, licensure, and history. Privileging then grants you authority to perform specific procedures at a facility. Both must be complete before you can see patients and bill under a new practice, and the process commonly takes 60 to 120 days. A start date set before credentialing clears means working for free.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Confirm credentialing is underway well before your start date and clarify who is responsible if it is delayed. Get in writing what you are paid if you cannot bill yet, so a slow credentialing process is not your financial problem.

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