CHCS Communication & Patient Education 2

Question 1

A patient calls asking whether their new physician is board certified. What is the most appropriate response from the credentialing specialist?

Accepted Answer

Confirm the board certification status as verified from the primary source, without disclosing confidential peer review data

Answer

Board certification is public information that may be shared, while peer review and file contents remain confidential.

Question 2

Which communication method creates the most reliable audit trail when requesting missing documents from a provider applicant?

Accepted Answer

A documented written request (email or letter) with dates logged in the credentialing system

Answer

Written, dated, and logged requests provide evidence for accreditation surveys and timeline compliance.

Question 3

When a provider application is incomplete after repeated follow-ups, what should the credentialing specialist communicate?

Accepted Answer

A written notice that the application will be deemed incomplete and withdrawn if items are not received by a stated deadline

Answer

Medical staff bylaws typically allow incomplete applications to be deemed withdrawn after proper written notice.

Question 4

Under HIPAA, which is the best practice when emailing a credentialing file that contains a provider's Social Security number?

Accepted Answer

Use encrypted email or a secure portal and send only the minimum necessary

Answer

Sensitive identifiers should be transmitted securely and limited to the minimum necessary.

Question 5

A provider is upset that their privileges were not approved at the scheduled committee meeting. What is the specialist's best first step?

Accepted Answer

Listen, acknowledge concerns, and explain the process and next steps without disclosing confidential deliberations

Answer

Active listening and process explanation de-escalate while protecting confidential peer review deliberations.

CHCS - Certified Healthcare Credentialing Specialist Practice Test