By Michael P. Broxterman, COO & Nanette Smith, Pinnacle Health Group
Starting the Process
You just got the perfect physician for your facility. The only problem is you need him/her tomorrow and he/she doesn’t have a license in your state. If you were working with Pinnacle Health Group, we’d do all we can to help solve that piece of the puzzle. We’re familiar with licensing headaches and willing to take them on.
The first thing we’d tell you is that the licensing process should be started almost as soon as you’ve tendered the contract. Don’t waste any time. Even if you believe you know the state’s criteria well, each doctor’s situation plays differently in every state. Some doctors will have to gather documents from dozens of different sources. Some may have to be interviewed or even examined. And, as is true whenever politics are involved, things can change quickly.
Jumping through the Hoops
If you’re new to the world of physician licensing or a bit rusty, the first thing you’re likely to do is an internet search. Type in “physician licensing” and most search engines will take you to a dizzying array of sites. Some report on seemingly futile efforts to streamline the process of licensing. Others are websites of companies that make wild promises to help you get your physician’s license tomorrow no matter what. Most are sober state-specific sites that help guide you through each state’s requirements.
If you and/or your physician are thinking about working to get that license without outside expert help, you might check out the American Medical Association’s State Medical Licensure Requirements and Statistics. Ordering information for this and other helpful guides and troubleshooters is on the AMA website. Another excellent resource is the annually updated Guide to State Medical Licensure Guidelines in the United States of America for Physicians by Jason and Brenda Janoulis, the experts we at Pinnacle turn to for help with licensing quandaries. (Check out their internet site–ourdoctor.com.) Still, as user-friendly as these resources are, they’ll scare a healthy respect in you for what’s entailed in licensing.
Getting a Leg-up
Because tangling with red tape is a unique skill, we’ve often turned to the Janoulis’ consultancy business, Licensure Resources Limited. I interviewed Jason the other day about their business to learn some of what is involved in the licensing process. “To be honest–and this isn’t just self-promotion–it’s just plain hard; especially if you don’t do it all the time like we do. There are so many variations and so much to keep in mind,” he said.
From my internet search, I found a number of businesses like LRL nationwide. I wondered what the advantage is of a facility’s working with a licensing specialist. Janoulis explained: “The facility’s main concern is to get that doctor in there and working on time–whether it’s locum tenens or a permanent position. We work with them to make that happen as soon as possible.”
Companies like LRL are hired sometimes directly by physicians and medical facilities. However, we think it makes sense to make the licensing process a part of recruitment by bringing your recruiter into the process. So, as a full-service firm we will like to work directly with clients and consultancies, such as LRL, making sure every detail of the physician’s and the client’s needs are being considered every step of the way,
Learning Patience
So how long does it take to get a license? “It really varies,” Janoulis said. “There is a range of times set by each state, which you can see in our book. The issue is how long it takes to get all the doctor’s materials into the right hands.” Thinking ruefully of those tax materials still sitting unsorted on my desk, I said something about how some people need to be seriously prodded to do their paperwork. Yes, Janoulis said politely, “but what I was referring to more was the time it takes to get the physician’s materials–once collected– into the right in-box in the right office and on time..That’s where we shine.”
And they do that–how?
“That’s the thousand-dollar question,” he said, implying a tantalizing business secret. “But, truly, it’s nothing magic,” he continued. “It’s just that we know so much and have so much experience.Sure, we know some shortcuts; but it’s the whole process we use to expedite things.
To close our conversation, I asked what final message he would like to leave give medical facilities about licensing. “I’d say this: you may think you’re saving money by doing it by yourself. But you could stand to lose a lot more if you don’t get that physician in as soon as you could. People like us, we are here to make it happen.”
Being Informed
Once upon a time getting your doctors in place and licensed wasn’t so complicated. And when things get complicated, they take longer. Why have things changed? I’m sure hospital administrators could come up with many answers to this questions based upon their insights. Basically it’s that healthcare has changed. The public, the healthcare industry, medical educators, and politicians all look to get into the act of licensing. States have adapted to managed care and responded to growing public anxiety about malpractice. When you look at how politics affect medicine in your state, licensing is one of the issues to keep in mind.
Whether you get expert help or work in-house to help your new doctors get their license, keep in mind from the outset that getting the process will probably not be as quick and easy as you’d like. That much is practically guaranteed. So be patient. Expect delays. Don’t yell at anyone in the state house. The worst that can happen is that you’ll be pleasantly surprised.