The process of vetting a healthcare candidate involves verification that they’re qualified, competent, and a great fit for the job. In healthcare it typically includes credentialing, fact-checking, and assessing for alignment with the organization and role.
This process is critical because it protects patients from contact with the wrong individuals. Because of this, key aspects are regulated by federal and state laws, applicable accreditation standards, and (for some roles) payer standards.
Failures in this area can result in significant fines, loss of accreditation, or exclusion from federal healthcare programs. However, when done correctly, this process can reduce clinician turnover and operational costs, lift team morale, and improve care quality. We’ll show you what vetting someone looks like in healthcare (including examples) and give you best practices that you can implement to feel more confident about the candidates you move forward and ultimately add to your team.
What Does “Vetting” Mean in Healthcare Hiring?
In healthcare hiring, to “vet” a candidate means to verify that they are who they say they are, they have the credentials and background that they claim to have, and they’re the right person to join the team and perform the job.
This term has roots in horse-racing, where it was used as shorthand for getting a horse checked by a veterinarian before race. Today, it’s done in many industries and in many different contexts, so the vetting process definition can vary. In healthcare hiring it encompasses credentialing and additional levels of evaluation.
What Is the Vetting Process for Employment in Healthcare?
This process is initiated when a candidate applies for a job. It helps employers filter their applicant pool and make informed hiring decisions. Though the exact steps can vary from one organization to another, in general it encompasses the following:
- Initial candidate screening
- More in-depth communication and screening
- Interviews and possible clinical skills assessments
- Credentialing, including primary source verifications and health checks
- Professional reference checks
- Any additional medical clearance needed to perform the job
How Long Does the Vetting Process Take and Who Performs It?
The steps to vet a candidate unfold over weeks to months, depending on the role, facility type, and the employer’s systems and resources. As an example, credentialing an RN for a hospital role may take 60 to 120 days, and with additional screening, interviewing, and assessment that timeline could extend to as long as 250 days.
The work of vetting someone for a healthcare position is typically performed by multiple departments and often involves several automated workflows. Here’s a look at the departments and personal who may be involved:
- Nurse recruiters
- Hiring managers
- Human resources (HR)
- Credentialing specialists or a credentials verification organization (CVO)
- Nurse managers
- Nurse educators
- Peer review groups
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) or other software can be used to assist with select screening and matching tasks, and third-party companies often participate in background checks and drug testing.
Potential Outcomes of Thorough Vetting
Giving due attention to the verification and assessment process can help healthcare employers identify candidates who don’t just meet the minimum requirements, but rather hold the real attributes that will lead to success on the clinical team. Here's what a thoroughly completed process can lead to:
- Improved company culture and team dynamics: Healthcare delivery relies heavily on interprofessional teamwork. A thorough assessment of a candidate’s soft skills, capacity for communication, and emotional intelligence helps to identify clinicians who will collaborate well with nurses, physicians, and support staff.
- Reduced nursing staff turnover rates: When hiring teams look deeper than the baseline requirements, they make better long-term matches. In-depth information about the candidate’s experience, values, and preferences can help employers prioritize clinicians who are most likely to thrive in the role over those who might quickly become overwhelmed and burnout due to poor alignment.
- Improved care quality and patient safety metrics: Going beyond minimum requirements allows employers to spot clinicians who demonstrate a proactive dedication to continuous quality improvement, patient advocacy, and safety. Hiring employees that last has been shown to reduce instances of patient harm, such as patient falls and medication errors.
Potential Costs of Poor Vetting Practices
When the process is rushed or performed inadequately, it can lead to mis-hires. At a minimum, an employer may add a clinician to the team who isn’t the right fit for the job and fails to perform ideally. This can dampen team morale, generate stress and nursing staff turnover, and compromise patient care. At worst, poor vetting practices can cost employers in the form of:
- Patient harm and fatalities.
- Reputational damage for the facility.
- Legal action, fines, or sanctions.
- Loss of accreditation.
3 Best Practices for the Process of Vetting in Healthcare
Effective vetting in healthcare is vital to protecting patient safety and delivering optimal care, but it can be challenging to get right given the many layers and variables. Here are three ways you can improve your process.
1. Standardize Your Healthcare Candidate Evaluation Materials
While candidate vetting involves a great deal of fact-checking, there are also steps that are more subjective and therefore vulnerable to bias. For example, research shows unstructured interviews are more likely to introduce bias than structured interviews. Following a structured, standardized candidate evaluation format helps to reduce bias and facilitate the selection of the right clinician for the role.
Tips:
- Use prepared role-specific candidate evaluation forms for all candidate interviews.
- Calibrate your scoring rubric by discussing a sample response prior to the interview to facilitate meaningful comparisons when jointly evaluating candidates.
2. Contact the Clinician’s Professional References by Phone
Set aside time for one-on-one conversations with your top-tier candidates’ references. This will enhance your ability to investigate candidates’ work histories, clinical skills, and soft skills. Engaging in honest communication with the candidate’s previous employers and supervisors may help you learn about the candidate’s attitude, interpersonal skills, patient care approach, or other important nuances that can make or break success in a role.
Tips:
- Ask the candidate to contact their references in advance to prepare them for the call.
- When speaking to references, refrain from asking specific questions about the candidate right out of the gate. Instead, briefly explain the clinical environment and patient base related to the new role. This will help the prior supervisor deliver insights about whether the candidate might succeed in the new setting.
3. Prioritize Clinician Matching
Rigorous vetting goes beyond ticking boxes on a healthcare credentialing checklist. It involves ensuring that the candidate’s values, clinical skills, work experience, and preferences align with the job, clinical team, and organization-level values and culture. Prioritizing matching in the candidate assessment process means considering key candidate attributes in relation to the role, such as:
- Area of specialization
- Patient population preferences (for example, geriatric)
- Availability and shift preferences
- Geographic proximity to the facility and willingness to travel
Tips:
- Craft detailed and accurate job descriptions to attract candidates who are in strong alignment with the role.
- Throughout the process of vetting, maintain awareness of the nursing vacancy from the point of view of the prospective hire. What are the rewards and challenges of performing the listed duties and tasks? What’s it like working with the patient population that your position serves? Communicate this with candidates to improve your evaluation of role fit.
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