Hospital Credentialing at a Private General Hospital in Depok, Indonesia (A Qualitative Study)

Credentialing is a formal activity used by hospitals to assess the performance of doctors by thoroughly reviewing the suitability of their competencies, supported by relevant and validating documents. Consequently, hospitals must establish a robust credentialing implementation system to uphold the esteemed reputation and credibility of both the medical staff and the institution. This study aimed to comprehensively elucidate the various components of credentialing activities, which encompassed the collection of application documents, process of assessment, issuance of clinical authority letters, and archival of relevant documents. Furthermore, it was conducted in a private hospital in Depok City, West Java, and a qualitative approach was used. The key informants in this investigation were the Chairperson of the Credentialing Sub-Committee, the Head of the Medical Division, the Medical Secretary, and the Doctors who played pivotal roles in the direct implementation of credentialing activities. Technical analysis was carried out by analyzing information using content analysis and the data were triangulated, including source and method triangulation. The results showed that the credentialing system had been well implemented, but there were some challenges and obstacles. The hospital had a policy that regulated this system and was stipulated in the Minister of Health Regulation Number 755 of 2011. There were observed shortcomings in the credentialing file record system but the hospital must develop comprehensive and detailed technical implementation strategies in line with the applicable policy. This measure aimed to regulate the course of credentialing activities, ensuring their effective and efficient execution based on the available resources of the hospital.