The Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) released a report this week which shows that the average amount of time for the state’s primary licensing agency, the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), to issue initial health care credentials has improved.

Read the full report here.

DSPS took an average of 59 days to issue a health care credential after receiving an application during the fiscal year that ended last June. The previous fiscal year saw an average processing time of  about 123 days (LAB noted that DSPS was not completely responsive to the audit request, although DSPS responded that additional staff time for the audit would drain staff resources and negatively impact pending license applications).

DSPS attributed the reduction in processing time to additional credentialing staff, as well as the implementation of LicensE, an online-based credentialing system.

For the fiscal year ending last June, the stage agency issued 78.3 percent of initial healthcare credentials within 90 days of receiving applications, compared to 52.5 percent of initial healthcare credentials within a 90-day period in the previous fiscal year.

“We are issuing more licenses, more quickly than ever,” Department of Safety and Professional Services Secretary-designee Dan Hereth wrote in a letter responding to the audit. “We have reduced license decision times significantly through strategic investment in technology, people and process.”

The audit recommended that DSPS establish comprehensive written policies, regularly report information on credentialing online and collect data about staff productivity that it can use to improve its operations.

WHCA/WiCAL has worked closely with DSPS to streamline processes for LTC-related credentialing. If you or a staff member are experiencing challenges with health care licensing/credentialing, please reach out to WHCA/WiCAL VP of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs, Jim Stoa.