Today, automation in the healthcare space is as ubiquitous as physicians with questionable penmanship. This hasn’t always been the case. When we first expanded our automated license verification service nationwide in 2012, we met some resistance. Was this a process that could be automated and still compliant with the regulatory standards for primary source verification?
Turns out it is. In fact, EverCheck’s daily verification standard actually exceeds the regulatory requirements in most cases. The question now isn’t whether automation is a viable solution to primary source verification but how it affects the process and those it supports.
Let’s take a look at the traditional functions required for the full primary source verification process and exactly how automation, specifically with EverCheck, affects each of these in a side-by-side comparison.
| Without Automation | With Automation |
|---|---|
| Determine which employees require verification | |
| Manually export the information from the HR system. | EverCheck automatically retrieves employees who require verification via an integration with the HR system. |
| Perform primary source verification for all licenses, certifications, and registrations. | |
| HR performs verifications by visiting the primary sources one by one for every license at hire and during the corresponding renewal period. | EverCheck verifies all eligible licenses, certifications, and registrations every day automatically. |
| Request updates to required licensure from employees. | |
| HR sends email communication requesting updates to licenses and certifications. | EverCheck Wallet alerts employees when an update is required to a license, certification, or registration on file. |
| Store proof of compliance, such as the verification history. | |
| This documentation is typically printed from the primary source website and stored. | EverCheck captures a digital history of primary source verifications and stores them within its secure, cloud-based infrastructure. These histories are accessible 24/7/365. |
| Update the HR system with data retrieved from the primary source. | |
| HR manually keys in important primary source data, like expiration dates. | EverCheck automatically updates the HR system with data directly from the primary source daily. |
| Send reminders to staff to promote on-time LCR renewals. | |
| HR determines upcoming license expirations and manually sends reminder emails to staff and managers. | EverCheck sends automated email reminders to licensees and managers at a designated frequency up to the renewal deadline. These emails are customizable. |
| Be made aware of when important changes in licensure happen. | |
| HR captures changes during the verification process and notifies appropriate parties. | EverCheck sends system-generated emails to appropriate parties any time the verification process captures a change from the primary source. |
| See and act upon important insights for license compliance. | |
| System-wide reporting and informatics are typically sparse or non-existent. | EverCheck provides aggregate reporting to show both system-wide and facility-specific trends. |
Automation doesn’t just have a profound effect on the processes themselves but on the ancillary processes.
It doesn’t just free up time for the person responsible for license verification but for the network of people (including employees) responsible for compliance and patient safety.
It doesn’t just provide a solution to a singular problem but has holistic implications.
Automation is ubiquitous because it’s more efficient, reliable, and cost-sensitive than traditional methods.
For more information and to get started with EverCheck, visit www.evercheck.com/solutions/hr.
