The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) announces that effective January 1, 2009, the e-licensing process will take the next planned step towards a paperless and verifiable licensing system. Wallet license cards will no longer be issued to new or renewal licensees as HEALTH’s professional license website will be the official site for primary source verification for all licensed individuals. This is consistent with the requirements of credentialing agencies such as the Joint Commission.
When a healthcare professional first receives a license, HEALTH will issue a written notification to the licensee that a license has been issued. The notification will include license number, expiration date and information about how to use HEALTH’s license verification website. Professionals who currently receive wall certificates upon initial licensure will continue to receive one.
“This move supports our Rhode Island licensed healthcare professionals by ensuring that our licensing system is consistent with the expectations of credentialing agencies,” said Executive Director of HEALTH’s Environmental and Health Services Regulation Michael S. Varadian, JD, MBA. “Credentialing agencies have shifted away from wallet cards to up-to-date and accurate on-line license verification systems.”
In Rhode Island, HEALTH licenses approximately 80,000 professionals. Currently, 92 percent of licensed healthcare professionals renewed a license on line. As part of this paperless process, HEALTH certifies that it maintains information for use with the license verification function on its website, updates the website in real time and considers the website to be a secure, primary source for licensure verification. Employers, credential verification agencies, licensees, and the public can access the verification website. Hospitals, insurers, nursing homes, surgi-centers and all other licensed healthcare facilities have been notified.
To verify individual’s licensure status, visit http://www.health.ri.gov/hsr/professions/license.php. For questions about this process, contact Charlie Alexandre at charles.alexandre@health.ri.gov.