Credentialing and Privileging of Clinicians

The primary responsibility of providing appropriate clinical care to a patient rests with the doctor under whose care the patient is receiving treatment. Thus, the outcome of care in a patient, to a very large extent, depends upon the expertise of the treating doctor. A doctor who is inadequately qualified or competent to handle a patient’s case can in-fact do more harm than good. Hence, it is extremely important that the patients are being treated by the right doctor. When doctors are employed or contracted by hospitals, it is the responsibility of the hospital to ensure that their patients are being treated by the right doctor. Hence it is a must for a hospital committed to provide high quality clinical care to have a robust policy on credentialing and privileging of clinicians.