How to Become a Medical Staff Credentialing Analyst

Recently, we explained what you can do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and Management, and today, we’ll examine how to get one of the most sought-after jobs in the industry, the role of a medical staff credentialing analyst. 

This is an outstanding career for those who are interested in research, compliance protocols, and working with other healthcare professionals. 

This role is incredibly important, as these professionals are primarily dedicated to ensuring medical staff members maintain current credentials and licenses legally required to work within their respective fields. 

In this post, we’ll explain how to launch a successful career as a medical staff credentialing analyst, why this is an excellent career option, what you will be responsible for in this role, and what skills you need to develop to break into the industry. 

After you’ve read about becoming a medical staff credentialing analyst, fill out our information request form, to receive additional details about our completely online Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, which is the perfect degree program for anyone looking to get into this industry.

If you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.

What is a Medical Staff Credentialing Analyst, What is Healthcare Administration, and Why are They Important?

A medical staff credentialing analyst is typically responsible for keeping track of medical professionals’ credentials and licenses, ensuring they are up to date, communicating what is needed to maintain compliance, and reviewing the credentials of potential new employees before they are hired. 

Healthcare administration brings together sound business practices and medical treatment, which is why it’s such a relevant topic for medical staff credentialing analysts, and the perfect degree to get if you’re looking to break into this competitive field. 

Studying healthcare administration will develop your expertise and abilities for overseeing the operations of healthcare providers, including large hospitals, small medical practices, senior care facilities, special care units, and other organizations. 

Some specific examples of healthcare administration include:

• Health Insurance – Healthcare administration can involve processing claims for insurance companies and ensuring compliance and required protocols are followed. 
• Hospital Departments – Large hospitals can be complex and dynamic environments, with many departments with different functions. Healthcare administration best practices provide the foundation for procedures and systems to ensure they are run efficiently within each department. 
• Senior Care Facilities – Healthcare administration professionals are needed to ensure that facility operations are within regulatory compliance, residents’ medical information is accurate, staff schedules are maintained, and operations are within budget constraints.

Healthcare administrators play a critical role in every organization operating in the healthcare industry and the role of a medical staff credentialing analyst is important to the success of these organizations. If you’re looking to make a big impact in healthcare, then this could be the perfect role for you.

Is Becoming a Medical Staff Credentialing Analyst a Good Career Option?

Yes, this is an excellent career option for anyone who wants to do interesting, important work in an industry that is dedicated to helping save lives. 

There are three convincing reasons to consider becoming a medical staff credentialing analyst:

1. The healthcare industry is growing at a rapid pace, and as demand for employees in all areas of healthcare continues to rise, there will be a greater need for more medical staff credentialing analysts.
2. Medical staff credentialing analysts play a critical role in today’s healthcare system by ensuring those who are treating patients or working in essential roles within the industry have the proper credentials and licenses.
3. This is a well-paid role, with Salary.com reporting that the average annual salary of medical staff credentialing analysts is $42,193 as of January 2022.

Becoming a medical staff credentialing analyst is the perfect career for anyone looking to do extremely important work in a growing field, while also being able to have a positive impact on the modern healthcare system. 

What Do Medical Staff Credentialing Analysts Actually Do?

Medical staff credentialing analysts ensure that those working in medical facilities have the required credentials and licenses to legally do their job and that these credentials are up to date. 

In this role, you may work under the supervision of a healthcare leader or manager. In small organizations, you’d likely report to administration, and in larger organizations, you’d likely report to the credentialing manager.

This may sound like a simple job, however, this role is not just complex, but is also extremely important to the overall success of any medical facility.

The reason it’s more complicated than you might first think is that the job requires researching laws, regulations, and industry changes, which occur rapidly in healthcare, to ensure that all the proper protocols are being followed.

As a medical staff credentialing analyst, your job responsibilities are likely to include:

• Process all initial credentialing applications, maintain re-credentialing applications, and advise staff on renewing procedures.
• Research applicable laws, regulations, and procedures for starting and upholding credentials and licenses. 
• Screen current practitioners as well as potential new employee applicants and provide support documentation to confirm their eligibility.
• Assist customers or staff members with any credentialing questions and educate them on proper procedures.

As a medical staff credentialing analyst you will be responsible for confirming all staff have the proper and relevant credentials and licenses, as well as alerting them of any issues or problems with new credential applications. 

To successfully take on this role, you’ll need robust research, analytical, and computer skills.

What Skills & Abilities Are Needed to Become a Successful Medical Staff Credentialing Analyst?

To succeed in the role of medical staff credentialing analyst you will have to develop a comprehensive skill set.

According to Indeed.com, you should focus on developing the following skills:

1. Research – You will be responsible for ensuring compliance is met from a credentialing and licensing standpoint. To properly do this job, you will have to complete accurate and detailed research to understand what the laws and regulations are for various credentials.
2. Organizational Skills – Working in fast-moving medical facilities will lead to a large staff all with different credentials and licensing requirements. Having strong organizational skills to keep track of all staff members’ credentials and possible complications will be integral to success in the role.
3. Database Management – In the digital era, the majority of information regarding credentials and supplementary information is stored online. You will need to be comfortable navigating through large healthcare-focused databases to store and keep track of large amounts of information.
4. Teamwork and Leadership – A large part of being a medical staff credentialing analyst is communicating with customers and colleagues about credential application statuses, changes to laws or regulations, and reporting to leadership any licensing or credential complications that may arise. 
5. Comprehension of Medical Terminology – The medical field is incredibly complex and highly technical, to properly understand and communicate complex credentialing regulations and policies you will need a deep understanding of common medical terms, titles, etc.

While you may not possess these skills right now, you can develop the foundational knowledge needed to do this job successfully by completing CSU Global’s Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration. 

Our 100% online program was built from the ground up to help you develop the skills and abilities needed to excel in this complex and competitive industry.

Do I Really Need a Degree in Healthcare Administration to Get a Job in the Industry?

Not necessarily, although getting your degree in healthcare administration could greatly increase your chances of getting one of the better jobs.

According to 4 Corner Resources, anyone who wants to become a credentialing specialist should consider getting a bachelor’s in a field like business administration, management information, healthcare management, or human resources.

CSU Global’s Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and Management and our Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems and Business Analytics are great options for anyone who needs their bachelor’s degree and wants to pursue a career as a medical staff credentialing analyst.

Completing either of these programs will allow you to develop the skills you will use every day as a medical staff credentialing analyst while also helping you to distinguish yourself from the competition for top jobs in the field.

These programs will help you navigate the challenges and complex tasks you will encounter in this dynamic role by providing a solid foundation upon which you can build a successful career in healthcare administration.

How Will CSU Global’s BSHAM Help Prepare Me for a Career as a Medical Staff Credentialing Analyst?

Our online Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and Management focuses on training you to complete the essential job responsibilities and tasks required of healthcare administration professionals, like medical staff credentialing analysts, including:

• Monitoring current staff credentials and licenses and alerting them of any issues or problems that may arise.
• Establishing a deep understanding of the required credentials and licenses needed to work in different medical areas.
• Maintaining records of all licenses, relevant credentials, and insurance contracts for internal purposes or for external partners including insurance providers or governing bodies.
• Developing procedures and processes to guarantee medical facilities are compliant with industry laws and regulations.

Throughout your time in our program you will gain the knowledge needed to succeed as a medical staff credentialing analyst, as we’ll train you on:

• Introduction to the laws and regulations that medical facilities must abide by.
• Performing data analysis and navigating healthcare systems to document and collect all required credential paperwork and information.
• Determining necessary procedures and processes to ensure that compliance regulations are satisfied and that all medical employees have the necessary credentials and documentation.
• Implementing leadership tactics and robust communication techniques to correspond with leadership personnel and workplace peers.
• Investigating areas for improvement and initiating projects to create efficiencies of internal processes and operations.

These foundational skills will allow you to face the obstacles and challenges that come with being a medical staff credentialing analyst. 

Obtaining your Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from CSU Global could play a substantial role in helping you break in or progress in the industry.

What Else Can I Do to Increase My Chances of Success?

Completing a degree in healthcare administration is the best way to prepare yourself for a career as a medical staff credentialing analyst, but it’s not the only thing you can do to tilt the odds in your favor of achieving success.

Completing a credentialing specialist certificate could also provide a lift to your resume by proving that you’ve developed vital skills and spent time earning the practical experience needed to succeed in this role.

Along these lines, you might want to consider completing one of the following certificates:

• NAMSS’s Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist (CPCS) Certificate
• NAMSS’s Certified Professional Medical Services Management Certificate

While you don’t necessarily need to complete a certification program to land a job as a medical staff credentialing analyst, earning a recognized certificate could help you rise above other job candidates in this competitive industry.

Should I Get My Degree in Healthcare Administration Online?

Regardless of which degree or certificate programs you choose to pursue, we recommend completing them online, rather than in person. 

The largest benefit to studying online is the freedom and ability to adjust your school schedule around the other important parts of your life, as studying online allows you to choose when you complete your schoolwork or attend classes.

Getting to study from any location, at any time is a major advantage that you should take into consideration.

CSU Global’s online programs provide several other significant benefits that you should also consider, including:

• No requirements to show up at set times or in physical locations.
• Monthly class starts.
• Accelerated courses.

All of our online programs are designed from the ground up to give you as much freedom as possible, as we built them specifically for people with existing work and family obligations.

If you already have other responsibilities, then you should seriously consider studying online with us at CSU Global.

Why Should I Choose CSU Global’s Healthcare Administration Program?

Our 100% online Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and Management will provide you with everything you will need to launch a successful career as a medical staff credentialing analyst.

Our program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ensuring your degree will be respected by hiring managers looking to employ competent credentialing specialists, and our program has earned several excellent rankings, including:

• A #1 ranking on Best Online Healthcare Management Degrees from College Choice.
• A #3 ranking on 15 Best Online Healthcare Administration Bachelor’s Degree Programs for 2021 from Bachelors Degree Center.

CSU Global itself is also widely regarded as an industry leader in higher education, having recently won several awards, including:

• A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI from OnlineU.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado from Best Accredited Colleges.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado from Best Colleges.

Finally, we offer affordable tuition rates and a Tuition Guarantee which ensures that your tuition rate won’t increase for as long as you remain enrolled as a student. 

To get additional details about our fully-accredited online Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and Management, please give us a call at (800) 462-7845, or fill out our Information Request Form.

Ready to get started today? Apply now