Physicians Facing More Requirements

As if completing medical school, a residency or two and licensing exams weren’t enough, doctors now need more credentials.

Managed-care companies increasingly won’t do business with health-care providers, be they doctors, hospitals, home-health agencies, laboratories or the like, unless they pass muster with professional accrediting bodies.

The result? Physicians must submit to reviews by multiple accrediting outfits.

Lori Bloomfield, a spokeswoman for the Medical Quality Commission, a Seal Beach-based accrediting organization, names of some of the others: “The National Council on Quality. The California Department of Corporations. The California Department of Health Services. The health plans. Shall I go on?”

It’s no surprise that medical groups are saying, “Enough already!” adds Janet McIntyre, a spokeswoman for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., outfit that accredits most of the nation’s hospitals as well as other providers.

To reduce the burden on doctors, the Joint Commission, in certain cases, will accept accreditations by other agencies instead of requiring that a medical practice submit to its own review. Recently, for instance, the Joint Commission began accepting accreditations on medical groups that are issued by the Medical Quality Commission.

The Seal Beach organization accredits about 30 medical groups and independent practice associations--and 3% of those requesting accreditation don’t make the grade.

A review costs $10,000 to $25,000, depending on the size of the medical practice. The process, which takes two to five days, involves on-site visits by a commission employee and several surveyors.

The team interviews staff and combs through paperwork, rating the practice on 153 standards ranging from cleanliness to financial record keeping to management of patient care.

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Barbara Marsh covers health care for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7762 and at barbara.marsh@latimes.com