Navigating the Credentialing and Workforce Challenge

Dr. Tyree Davis serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Ancillary Services at Nevada Health Centers (NVHC), a nonprofit organization providing healthcare services throughout Nevada.

Please tell us about your roles and responsibilities at Nevada Health Centers.

As the Chief Medical Officer of Ancillary Services at Nevada Health Centers, I have dedicated 18 remarkable years to the company. My expertise lies in dentistry, and as CMO, I am responsible for supervising the dental department, our pharmacy, and behavioral health department. Collaborating closely with the Vice President of Operations for Ancillary Services, I also play a vital role in managing our call center and other minor aspects of our organization.

What are some of the major challenges in the industry?

One of the main obstacles faced by community health centers is the lengthy process of getting providers properly credentialed. The duration for completing some credentialing procedures varies from 30 days to as long as six months. Fortunately, the Governor of Nevada is making efforts to collaborate with insurance agencies and licensing boards to find solutions to speed up that process. Another issue is the shortage of healthcare professionals, specifically physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, and dental assistants.

As a company, what potential measures or steps are you taking to mitigate these challenges?

To address credentialing concerns, our Provider Relations department and CEO have made efforts to arrange meetings with insurance companies as well as with the Governor to find solutions that can expedite the process. On the other hand, we have engaged with recruitment agencies and headhunters while also utilizing social media and exploring various strategies to expand our workforce.

With all these potential transformations and disruptions prevailing in this space, how do you envision the future of the space?

If companies grasp the importance of patient care and patient access, and also comprehend the significance of completing the credentialing process quickly, they will begin to recognize their role in these aspects and how they can contribute to them.

The workforce poses a slightly more difficult challenge as we observe a shift within it. Certain individuals from the younger generation are realizing the importance of working smarter rather than harder, unlike some individuals from my generation. This concept, known as work ethic, is something that the younger generation seems to have figured out earlier than we did. They understand that satisfaction can be achieved without necessarily having to work a traditional 40-hour workweek.

For some individuals, it's not just about the money but it’s about assessing how their lifestyle fits into their overall balance. They place importance on maintaining a good life-work balance by prioritizing their personal life and finding ways to focus less on work and more on their life.

Any recent projects or initiatives that you have been working on lately, and what are some of the process elements that you have leveraged to make them successful?

A key aspect that has held great significance for us in our collaboration with providers and examining their satisfaction in terms of recruitment and retention is our emphasis on an incentive plan. We must explore strategic approaches to give providers opportunities to increase their earnings potential.

In community health centers or hospitals, healthcare providers are typically employed on a fixed salary and are required to see a certain number of patients. However, some providers who are dedicated and strive to offer exceptional care may aim to go above and beyond the standard level of care for their patients.

It is important to note that our focus is not solely on implementing an incentive plan based solely on the quantity of patients or encounters. We also aim to introduce incentives for healthcare providers based on their level of work effort.

To measure the actual care provided by our healthcare providers, we discuss relative value units (RVU). The increasing complexity of health issues among our patients requires our providers to dedicate more time. Hence, we are finding it necessary to consider RVUs as a means of quantifying the level of care they offer.

We aim to ensure that our providers receive recognition and credit for the quality care they provide to their patients. I think that the RVU opportunity is an excellent method to acknowledge and appreciate the effort put in by our providers.

Any advice for your peers and aspiring professionals in the industry?

One of the main tasks you must undertake is to create a platform for your providers to share their ideas and concerns, whenever possible. At times, it is a challenge for our own company, but we recognize the importance of creating an environment and platform where providers can communicate and discuss their issues, concerns, challenges, and successes to foster their growth. In addition, it is important to create an environment that allows providers to enhance their skills. While they may not always remain with your company, it is essential to consistently motivate individuals to reach their full potential for further growth and development. We should not hesitate to promote such an atmosphere even if individuals decide to pursue other opportunities. I aspire to be recognized as a company and a leader that consistently motivates individuals to reach their full potential, whether it is within my organization or elsewhere.