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Developing: Verifying Credentials

Another part of checking volunteers involves a process known as credentialing. Essentially, this means verifying that the applicants have achieved the degrees, certificates, licenses, and training they claim to have completed. Particularly, credentials need to be verified if volunteers will be performing work that is regulated in a state or locality requiring credentials. Many medically related activities relevant to the MRC are regulated for the protection of the persons receiving these services. MRC volunteers will be governed by the same laws that generally restrict such practices.

When credentialing is required based on a volunteer’s expected contributions and on local law, request documentation and other proof of the volunteer’s reported credentials during the interview to expedite the credentialing process. (Photocopies are adequate in most instances.) More importantly, having a volunteer’s credentials verified prior to this volunteer’s utilization saves time and resources when a disaster or other public health emergency emerges. Past experiences in emergency response efforts (e.g., the September 11 attacks) have shown that the complexities of credentialing can greatly interfere with prompt and necessary volunteer utilization.

Verifying medically related credentials can be a complex, technical process that is sometimes provided as a service (for a fee) by several accrediting organizations and by other medical industry organizations. These services help the end user; however, the cost may be prohibitive for a small organization such as an MRC unit.

Efforts are underway in various communities and at the national level to provide these services to MRC units at little or no cost. Some units have negotiated agreements with partnering hospitals, professional organizations, and state departments of public health to check volunteer credentials for free. Nationally recognized standards also are being developed to help systemize the credentialing process.

Most states have started developing ways to pre-credential medical volunteers, particularly those needed in hospitals. The Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) is a program being developed by most states to pre-identify and pre-credential health professional volunteers so they may be utilized more effectively in an emergency. MRC units in each state may be given the opportunity to participate in the ESAR-VHP program, which would allow access to a credentialing system that could credential volunteers to standards high enough that they could be utilized in a hospital setting.

Consider that because a volunteer has properly recognized medical credentials, this does not necessarily mean that this volunteer is qualified to function as part of your local MRC response team. Your community and other response partners may have different or additional standards that must be met first. Medical credentialing may be only one component of these standards.

Public health officials generally are not credentialed in the same way as doctors. However, for the purposes of their volunteer activities with the MRC, they also may need to meet certain locally established criteria. It will be part of your volunteer screening responsibility to ensure these requirements are met before clearing your volunteers for utilization.

Checking Employment and/or Educational Background

In addition to verifying licenses for professionally licensed individuals, you may need to develop a procedure for verifying the background of volunteers whose activities may not require professional licenses. This may be as simple as contacting a current employer to verify employment or may require copies of diplomas or other proof of educational attainment. You also may want to do this for your licensed medical professionals if they will be working in a hospital environment. Partnering with local hospital systems or working with your state’s department of health can help you access systems for verifying volunteer credentials at a more detailed level.

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Last Updated on 8/21/2006