Credentialing & Privileging | 10.20.25
Burnout, Bottlenecks, and Breakthroughs: MSPs Leading Credentialing Forward
By QGenda
Credentialing rarely makes headlines, yet it quietly shapes the backbone of healthcare delivery. Behind every provider who joins a hospital, every payer enrollment, and every assurance of compliance stands a credentialing or medical services professional (MSP). Their work ensures patient safety, provider readiness, and organizational compliance.
But according to the 2025 Credentialing in Focus report from QGenda, this essential function is cracking under the weight of outdated systems, understaffing, and escalating demands. For MSPs, the findings are not just sobering — they are a call to action.
An Industry at a Breaking Point
The survey of 428 credentialing and medical services professionals reveals an industry stretched thin. Only 14% of teams say they have the bandwidth to meet current demands. Ninety-seven percent report experiencing some level of burnout, with many citing the daily grind of chasing providers for documentation, managing repetitive tasks, and struggling with limited visibility into timelines.
This isn’t simply about individual resilience. As the report stresses, burnout reflects systemic failure — gaps in staffing, poor tools, and unrealistic expectations that compromise efficiency and morale. For MSPs, this reality underscores the urgency of advocating for structural change.
Bottlenecks That Cost More Than Time
Credentialing delays are more than administrative headaches — they are revenue disruptors and care barriers. The report highlights that 61% of organizations experience delays affecting up to 10% of new providers. Each day a physician’s start date is delayed can cost an organization over $10,000 in lost revenue, with downstream consequences including temporary privileges, compliance risks, and patient access disruptions.
MSPs, often positioned at the intersection of provider readiness and organizational strategy, are uniquely equipped to raise the visibility of these risks. By framing credentialing as a driver of both revenue and compliance — not a back-office task — MSPs can help shift leadership perspectives and secure needed resources.
Outdated Tools and the Technology Gap
Perhaps one of the most pressing insights from the report is how much credentialing still relies on manual processes. Sixty-seven percent of teams say their processes are largely or entirely manual, often resembling “electronic filing cabinets” rather than true workflow automation. Only 12% of credentialing teams report having real-time visibility into credentialing timelines.
This lack of automation not only slows provider onboarding but also magnifies errors, increases burnout, and hampers reporting. Yet the appetite for better technology is strong: 77% of professionals believe that smarter credentialing solutions could reduce delays and improve engagement.
For MSPs, this is an opportunity to champion digital transformation — not as a luxury, but as a necessity for operational resilience.
The Coming 'Experience Cliff'
Another sobering reality is workforce sustainability. Nearly one-third of credentialing professionals are over the age of 55. With many carrying decades of institutional knowledge, organizations risk losing critical expertise to retirement without succession planning.
MSPs must play a pivotal role in capturing, documenting, and transferring knowledge. Mentorship programs, formal documentation processes, and training the next generation of credentialing leaders are essential steps to avoid what the report calls an “experience cliff.”
The Strategic Role of MSPs
The overarching message of the report is clear: Credentialing must be recognized as a strategic function, not a compliance formality. For MSPs, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. By embracing leadership roles, MSPs can:
- Advocate for investment in modern credentialing technology.
- Educate executives on the revenue, compliance, and patient care impact of delays.
- Lead knowledge-capture initiatives to safeguard institutional expertise.
- Drive cross-department collaboration to break down silos and improve visibility
Why This Matters Now
Healthcare is in flux — facing provider shortages, rising compliance complexity, and escalating pressure to onboard clinicians faster. Without modernization, credentialing could become a critical chokepoint that undermines revenue, readiness, and patient access.
For MSPs, this report provides both data and validation. It confirms what many already know: The work is vital, the pressure is mounting, and the time for strategic investment is now.
The future of healthcare will depend on whether credentialing teams are supported, modernized, and recognized for the strategic value they deliver. And MSPs are in the best position to lead that charge.
You can access the full QGenda Credentialing in Focus: An Industry Under Strain report to dive deeper into the data and insights.