{"id":385,"date":"2021-06-09T19:38:32","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T19:38:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikhamhealthcare.com\/provider-resources\/?p=385"},"modified":"2026-02-03T20:13:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T20:13:45","slug":"provider-credentialing-mistakes-that-could-be-hurting-your-bottom-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bikhamhealthcare.com\/provider-resources\/provider-credentialing-mistakes-that-could-be-hurting-your-bottom-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Provider Credentialing Mistakes that Could be Hurting Your Bottom Line"},"content":{"rendered":"

Credentialing new providers is a vital task that every medical practice must complete. It\u2019s also an often complex process that can be prone to costly mistakes. Errors in provider enrollment<\/a> and credentialing can create a wide range of profit-hurting issues, from scheduling delays to fluctuations in your practice\u2019s revenue cycle. To help you avoid the consequences of these errors, we\u2019ll take a look at the most common provider credentialing mistakes that could be hurting your medical practice\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n

Mistake #1: Trying to Rush the Credentialing Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If your practice is bringing on a new provider, it is essential to set aside an adequate amount of time for the credentialing process. If you don\u2019t set aside enough time to prepare the appropriate documentation and process applications\/insurance approvals before your new provider arrives, they may be left unable to bill their patients for the services that they provide. At Bikham Healthcare, we recommend that medical practices begin the credentialing process at least 120 days in advance. This allows you time to complete essential steps such as re-attesting CAQH profiles, processing applications and receiving payer approvals, reviewing your documents carefully for accuracy and completion, and asking any follow-up questions that you might have for your new provider. It\u2019s also important to keep in mind that many payers take several months to process new provider approvals. This is especially true of government payers such as Medicare and Medicaid, which sometimes take as long as six months to process and approve a new provider application.<\/p>\n

Mistake #2: Failing to Follow-Up Throughout the Application Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Credentialing a new provider requires a lot of important documents to be sent back and forth between payers and your practice. If even one of these documents is misplaced or never received, it could create a disruption that upends the entire application process. While it\u2019s nice to believe that your practice and the payers you work with are both detail-oriented enough to avoid such a mistake, documents that are misplaced or never received is an unfortunately common issue. In order to avoid the lengthy delays created by a document that never arrives at its intended location, it\u2019s important to keep an open line of communication with the payers you are submitting applications to. Follow up with them regularly to ensure that they have received each new document that you send. Keep in mind that most payers will not contact you themselves to inform you of a delay in your application\u2019s processing, so it\u2019s up to you to follow up with them throughout the application process to ensure that they have everything they need to complete your application in a timely manner.<\/p>\n

Mistake #3: Errors or Omissions in Your Application<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you are submitting an application for a new provider, even the smallest error or omission in the application can lead to costly delays. In many cases, an error in the application you submit can cause your application to be denied, forcing you to start the time-consuming application process all over again. In order to avoid the many headaches that can be created by even one simple error, it is essential to carefully review your applications multiple times before sending them in. At Bikham Healthcare, some of the most common mistakes that we have seen on new provider applications include mistakes such as:<\/p>\n