Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House would streamline how the U.S. Department of Defense verifies military healthcare providers’ licenses.
The department employs thousands of licensed medical professionals to care for service members and their families. These professionals must undergo a lengthy re-credentialing processes when they transfer. Re-credentialing happens even when they transfer within the same base.
Re-credentialing contributes to staffing gaps, delayed care, and puts added strain on an already overburdened healthcare system.
The Digital Oversight of Credentials for Service Members Act (DOCS) would require the secretary of defense to create a centralized credentialing system for all uniformed and civilian medical providers working for the department. A total of 90 percent of license verifications must be completed within seven days of request.
Commanding officers also would be permitted to verify a provider’s license, regardless of service branch or location.
U.S. Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA) introduced the bill.
“As a Navy veteran and healthcare provider, I know how frustrating and harmful these delays can be,” Kiggans said. “The DOCS Act delivers a simple, commonsense solution: verify licenses quickly, centrally, and consistently—so our providers can do what they were trained to do: take care of our service members and their families.”