CREDENTIALING PROCESSES AT MGH:
Credentialing processes at MGH are designed to ensure that health professionals who provide services at MGH are qualified and prepared. The General Executive Committee has delegated this accountability to the Senior Vice President for Patient Care, Chief Nurse. Clinicians include:

• Registered nurses
• Registered nurses in the expanded role
• Physician assistants
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Respiratory therapists
• Social workers
• Speech-language pathologists
• Pharmacists
• Dieticians
• Chaplains
• Child-life specialists

• Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)
• Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)
• Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

• Research
• Patient care
• On-site review for managed care/payer organizations
• Facility screening for referral services, consultation

AUTHORIZATION PROCESS FOR MGH EMPLOYEES:
For all candidates, the Human Resources Department and the respective manager/supervisor coordinate the application and selection process based on the candidate's education, proof of licensure/registration/ related certifications and experience required for the position.
Nurses in the expanded role and physician assistants are also required by; Massachusetts regulations, MGH bylaws, and the Credentialing and Authorization of Nurses in the Expanded Roles and Physician Assistants who are MGH and MGPO Employees Policy to submit practice guidelines developed with their collaborating/supervising MD. (Physician Assistant Application) (Nurses in Expanded Roles Application). A designee(s) of the Health Professions Staff Committee reviews the guidelines and makes recommendations regarding approval to the Senior Vice President for Nursing, who reviews these guidelines. The Senior Vice President signs the guidelines indicating approval, and a copy is sent to the clinician requesting authorization. This process is completed before the clinician begins practicing in the role.

REAUTHORIZATION FOR MGH EMPLOYEES:

Ø Nurses in the expanded role are required to resubmit guidelines:

• at least every two years
• when the scope of practice changes or
• when the collaborating/supervising physician changes

Ø Physician Assistants are required to:

• annually review prescriptive guidelines which their collaborating/supervising physician per    Massachusetts regulations.  Physician Assistants provide attestation to the Health Professions Staff Committee that this process has been completed. (Physician Assistant Attestation Form)
• resubmit guidelines when the scope of practice changes
• when the collaborating/supervising physician changes

AUTHORIZATION OF REGISTERED NURSES WHO ARE NOT MGH EMPLOYEES:
Registered nurses who are not MGH employees but wish to provide services at MGH must complete an application (Non-MGH Registered Nurses Request for Authorization) which indicates the professional activities they wish to perform, history of immunizations, and evidence of licensure and malpractice insurance. Authorization to do research, patient care, consultation is coordinated through The Norman Knight Nursing Center for Clinical & Professional Development. Authorization to screen patients for referral agencies or on-site review for managed care or payor organizations is coordinated through Case Management.

For more information about the credentialing process, you may contact the following: